The Alliance Theatre, founded in 1968, is part of a Tony award-winning regional theater located within a celebrated Arts Center campus. The initial phase of work focused on the chamber, its lobby, and artistic support facilities, which were gutted to the original concrete enclosing walls. The transformation pulled the 650-seat chamber 10 feet closer to the stage. The planning of the chamber optimized site lines, utilized ramping in lieu of lifts and integrated stairs to provide access to all levels. Each surface was tuned acoustically to deliver world class theater to its patrons. All seating zones can be accessed from every entrance within the chamber—a unifying planning feature of the Coca-Cola Stage at Alliance Theatre. The architects assembled a world-class team to implement handcrafted steam bending techniques and artistry on an architectural scale. From concept to construction, the project demonstrates innovation through collaboration between artist, architect, and fabricator. The result is a series of beautiful steam-bent millwork guardrails and balconies that merge hand craft with mass production. The synthesis of acoustic performance, hand-driven artistry, and sophisticated laser positioning are all carefully choregraphed to execute the complex steam bent millwork without the need for wasteful CNC molds. Delivered for $330/sf, the product has proven to be both economical and stunning.
