Pacific Northwest Ballet Francia Russell Center

Child-height windows invite curious dancers and siblings to look into the brightly-lit dance studios.

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Natural light permeates through translucent skylights in the grand performance space, which can seat 150 in bleacher and upper mezzanine seating.

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Each of the seven dance studios feature acoustic panels, mirrors, sprung flooring and triple-height bars to accommodate students of all ages.

©
A skylight and lighting sculpture brighten up the multipurpose space for stretching and events. The red accent wall is a familiar feature carried over from the previous facility, reinforcing the school’s identity.

©
At the reception area, a donor wall and open views into dance areas welcome students and visitors into the Center.

©

Transparency in Motion

Pacific Northwest Ballet Francia Russell Center

Bellevue, WA

New Home for Dance

Students are immersed in the dance experience as they enter the new Francia Russell Center. The design provides a transparent environment for students of all ages to learn, engage and develop their talent.

Tuned for Young Dancers

Child-height windows peer into double-height dance studios equipped with sprung floors, acoustic panels and a piano for live music. Support areas are scaled for children with playful textiles, furniture and graphics. Dance spaces are filled with daylight, while dimmer lighting in the back of house sets a more moody tone.

Anchor for the Arts Community

Displaced by the Sound Transit East Link route construction, the center capitalizes on the relocation to create a vibrant hub for the local arts community. With full auditorium functionality, the 150-seat performance studio is a flexible venue for diverse events and programs—from dance recitals and plays to presentations—with an adjoining kitchen and social space.

Client

Pacific Northwest Ballet

Overview

Adaptive renovation of a wood-framed warehouse into the new home for a dance school and performance center

Program

Seven dance studios including a 140-seat performance space, locker rooms with showers, library, multipurpose arts room, green room, kitchen, lounge space

Size

34,000 sf

Sustainable Metrics

LEED Gold, Certified

Completion Date

2017

Services

Architecture, Interior Design, Landscape Architecture

Yesler Community Center Seattle, WA +

Robert Frost Auditorium Culver City, CA +

Seattle Preparatory School Liturgical and Fine Arts Center Seattle, WA +

The Northwest School at 401 East Pike Seattle, WA +

Child-height windows invite curious dancers and siblings to look into the brightly-lit dance studios.

Natural light permeates through translucent skylights in the grand performance space, which can seat 150 in bleacher and upper mezzanine seating.

Each of the seven dance studios feature acoustic panels, mirrors, sprung flooring and triple-height bars to accommodate students of all ages.

A skylight and lighting sculpture brighten up the multipurpose space for stretching and events. The red accent wall is a familiar feature carried over from the previous facility, reinforcing the school’s identity.

At the reception area, a donor wall and open views into dance areas welcome students and visitors into the Center.

Transparency in Motion

Pacific Northwest Ballet Francia Russell Center