The Diego Rivera Theater, art building in San Francisco, recreational development in California, architecture
June 23, 2023
Design: LMN Architects
Location: San Francisco, California, United States
Photo © LMN Architects
Photos by LMN Architects
The Diego Rivera Theater, California
LMN Architects and TEF Design were commissioned with the design The Diego Rivera Theater at the City College of San Francisco (CCSF) in California. The project will feature Diego Rivera’s iconic mural, Pan American Unity, and is set to become a new center for community and culture in San Francisco.
Photo © Diego Rivera Holding Plans for the Mural_Photo credit San Francisco History Center, San Francisco Public Library
The Diego Rivera Theater is set to become the cultural heart of the CCSF campus. Located in a new academic district along Frida Kahlo Avenue, the theater will be home to Diego Rivera’s Pan American Unity mural while providing a central base for the academic departments of music and theater. The building will also house three new performing arts venues, classrooms and administrative spaces, making it an important building on campus and within San Francisco’s larger cultural community.
Photo © LMN Architects
Sam Miller, Partner at LMN Architects, comments, “It is an honor to work at the Diego Rivera Theater and to display a work of art with so much history and cultural value for the city of San Francisco and the global arts scene.” The new building will feature multiple performance spaces for education and social interaction and ultimately represent a cultural asset for the campus and the public. We are proud to be contributing to this effort in collaboration with CCSF, TEF Design and our team of collaborators to protect the mural and display it in a prominent location on campus.”
Diego Rivera’s Pan American Unity mural is of immense cultural significance as it vividly depicts the artist’s vision for unity across America. Featuring a vibrant tapestry of figures linking historical, cultural, and industrial scenes from different regions, the artwork emphasizes the connectedness and solidarity between these diverse nations in America. In the years following its creation, the mural faced a number of challenges and was eventually considered lost. The mural’s journey reflects its enduring power to inspire and bring people together, overcoming various obstacles and eventually becoming a cherished centerpiece of public art.
Diego Rivera’s inspirational Pan American Unity Mural is the centerpiece of the building where it will finally find its place after its turbulent 70-year history. The mural was originally painted in 1940 for the Golden Gate International Exposition on Treasure Island and only recently received wide public attention at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. The theater’s mural lobby, which will house the artworks, was designed to showcase the art to both building occupants and outdoor pedestrians. The lobby is encased by a glass wall that showcases the mural and allows passers-by to be drawn in by the presence of this historical work of art. The Diego Rivera Theater is an open and welcoming building that blends into the campus’ existing thoroughfares and allows a path between the adjacent STEAM and MUB buildings.
Photo © LMN Architects
The building’s program includes three concrete blocks of different sizes, each containing a separate performance space. Venues include a 600-seat performance hall, a 150-seat studio theater and a 100-seat concert hall—all optimized for different performance experiences. The building will also contain numerous classrooms, practice rooms and administrative offices.
John Chau, Partner at LMN Architects, comments, “Diego Rivera’s deep connections to San Francisco and the United States cannot be overstated and we are thrilled to have this opportunity to design the new Diego Rivera Theater. Reflecting the highly interdisciplinary nature of 21st-century performance venues, the project features an open lobby and a composition of program blocks arranged around the mural. The project, conceived from the inside out, takes advantage of the building program, the views and the traffic routes around the campus. The lobby will showcase the artwork and allow students and visitors to admire the mural from different angles.”
Douglas Tom, Partner at TEF Design comments: “For many years the mural was a hidden treasure, tucked away in a neglected campus theatre, hidden from the public eye. Not only will the new theater complete the western extension of the CCSF campus across from Frida Kahlo Way, but its open glass lobby will allow students, locals and visitors alike to engage with and admire the world-class treasure in a museum-like setting appreciate same caliber.”
Conceived as the centerpiece of the CCSF campus, the Diego Rivera Theater will support its educational mission while also being a destination for visitors to San Francisco and an anchor of the local arts community.
Based in San Francisco, TEF Design is a collective of architects and interior designers known for its diverse regional portfolio of award-winning work and commitment to creative partnerships. Notable cultural and academic projects include the Bayview Opera House, the Stanford Neuroscience Health Center and the Garfield Center, and recent work at the Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts. The company uses its ability to innovate in different building typologies to create caring and responsible design solutions that deepen interpersonal relationships and strengthen communities.
LMN Architects is the recipient of the 2016 AIA National Architecture Firm Award and is widely recognized for designing projects that support smart, sustainable cities. The company has designed several important civic and cultural projects in the United States and Canada, including Benaroya Hall, McCaw Hall, the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, and the University of Iowa’s Voxman Music Building, and is currently designing the St. Lawrence Center for the arts in toronto. The company’s continued commitment to communities at all levels is underscored by its important and impactful work across North America.
Photo © LMN Architects
The Diego Rivera Theater, San Francisco, California, USA – Building Details
Architect: LMN Architects – https://lmnarchitects.com/
Project title: The Diego Rivera Theater
Location: San Francisco, California
Client: City College of San Francisco
Design Years: 2022-2023
Years of construction: 2025-2027
Main building materials: concrete, metal panels and glass facades
Program: Performance and educational spaces for the music and theater departments, including a 600-seat auditorium, a 150-seat studio theater, a 100-seat concert hall, lobbies, rehearsal rooms, practice rooms, scene shop, dressing rooms, offices and support rooms.
Site Area: 93,000 SFT
Floor area: 77,000 SFT
Building height: 70 feet
Number of floors: 3
Notable Sustainability Facts: Aims to target LEED Gold with auditorium displacement HVAC, underfloor heating and cooling, and a comprehensive stormwater filtration and retention system.
Project Evidence
Design Architect: LMN Architects
801 Second Avenue, Suite 501
Seattle, Wash. 98104
LMN Project Team: John Chau, AIA, Vernita Lytle, Sam Miller, FAIA, Sonja Miranda, Erik Perka, Assoc. AIA, Jennifer Sasahara, AIA and Zihao Wang
Record Architect: TEF Design
1420 Sutter St
San Francisco, CA 94109
TEF Project Team: Justin Blinn, AIA, Paul Cooper, AIA, Mrunalini Kulkarni and Douglas Tom, FAIA
Civil engineer: SOHA Engineers
ME engineer: interface technology
Plumbing Engineer: MHC Engineers
Lighting design: HLB Lighting
Theater Consultant/AV: The Shalleck Collaborative, Inc.
Acoustic: Jaffe Holden
Cost Estimation: Directional Logic
Civil: BKF Engineers
Landscape: Creo landscape architecture
Photography: LMN Architects
The Diego Rivera Theater, San Francisco, California received image/information 230623
Location: San Francisco, CA, United States of America
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