Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

California Private High School Completes New Community Performing Arts Center

  • By Matt Jones
  • 07/16/24

Sonoma Academy—a private, co-ed college preparatory school in Santa Rosa, Calif.—recently announced that construction is complete on a new, 350-seat Community Performing Arts Center, according to a news release. The facility will play home to the school’s music, theater, and film productions and host various types of programming for the community at large. The school partnered with Quattrocchi Kwok Architects (QKA) and WRNS Studio for the project’s design, DPR Construction for construction, and The Shalleck Collaborative as a theatrical consultant.

“The opening of the Community Performing Arts Center marks the start of a new era for our school,” said Tucker Foehl, Head of School at the Sonoma Academy. “This beautiful, state-of-the-art facility will provide a gathering place for our school community and a home for our stellar theater, music and dance programs. The high-tech features and thoughtfully designed spaces will allow us to stage more ambitious productions and involve more student performers than ever before. Equally exciting is the opportunity we have to welcome the surrounding community to our campus, as we expand our roster of events and develop partnerships with other local organizations.”

The facility measures in at 27,500 square feet and includes amenities like a 350-seat theater, stage, full orchestra pit, and supporting spaces. The AV system uses a Dolby Laboratories sound system and a Christie Digital 4K laser projector. Other amenities include an Actors Studio with a classroom and rehearsal space, a scene ship for backdrops and stage scenery, dressing rooms, additional classroom and storage space, and a lobby and box office, according to the news release. Sustainability features include energy-efficient lighting and HVAC systems, as well as a displacement heating and cooling system for audience seating.

“It has been a remarkable experience to work alongside Sonoma Academy and the collaborative project team to design this truly remarkable and cutting-edge performing arts building,” said Steve Kwok, QKA Principal Emeritus. “The various spaces will allow students to participate in the complete production of a performance, and it will certainly be an invaluable community asset.”

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Building Beyond Simulation: Creating Immersive Ecosystems for Healthcare Education

    Health sciences education is one of the fastest-growing facility types in colleges and universities. The demand for medical, nursing, and allied health professionals is driving the creation and renovation of medical simulation training facilities that provide students with real-world experience through advanced simulation-based learning.

  • Tennessee Middle School Completes Health, Life Safety Renovations

    The Giles County Board of Education in Pulaski, Tenn., recently announced that a series of renovation projects has been completed at Bridgeforth Middle School, according to a news release. The district partnered with Wold Architects & Engineers and Brindley Construction to modernize building systems at one of the district’s oldest schools.

  • Amazon Expands Lockers to More Than 500 College, University Campuses

    Amazon recently announced that its Locker Network now totals more than 750 locations at more than 500 college and university campuses around the United States, according to a company news release.

  • University of Pennsylvania Releases Design of Future Physical Sciences Building

    The University of Pennsylvania (Penn) in Philadelphia, Penn., recently released renderings of an upcoming 350,000-square-foot Physical Sciences Building, according to news release. The facility was designed by CO Architects and will unite the university’s departments of Physics and Astronomy, Mathematics, and Earth and Environmental Science.