Unveiling of the Diego Rivera theater proposal in San Francisco
LMN Architects and San Francisco-based firm TEF Design have teamed up to design the Diego Rivera Theater, which will become the cultural heart of the City College of San Francisco campus California. Located in a new academic district on Frida Kahlo Avenue, the project will be home to Mexican painter Diego Rivera’s Pan American Unity mural, while also providing a central base for the music and theater academic departments. The building will also include three new ones carry out Art venues, as well as teaching and administrative spaces, making it an important building on campus and within the larger San Francisco cultural community.
Diego Rivera Theater | All renderings © LMN Architects
in honor of the Mexican painter’s mural of Pan-American Unity
Originally painted on Treasure Island for the 1940 Golden Gate International Exposition, the mural was recently exhibited to the public at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. “The mural ‘Pan American Unity’ by Diego Rivera is of immense cultural significance as it vividly depicts the artist’s vision for unity across America. The artwork emphasizes the bond and solidarity between these diverse American nations, and features a vivid weave of figures that weave together historical, cultural, and industrial scenes from different regions. 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 unite people, overcoming various obstacles and eventually becoming a cherished centerpiece of public art.” Write the architects.
After its tumultuous 70-year history, the mural will finally be on display in the theater. LMN Architects (learn more Here) and the team At TEF Design, the artwork will be placed as a centerpiece in the theater’s lobby, encased by a glass wall to showcase the art to both building occupants and outdoor pedestrians.
The lobby features the famous Diego Rivera mural of Pan American Unity
a connecting performance center by lmn architects + tef desgn
Programmatically, the Diego Rivera Theater is an open and welcoming building that blends into the existing campus transit routes and provides a transition between the adjoining STEAM and MUB buildings. It consists of three differently sized concrete blocks, each housing a separate venue. These venues will house 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.
one of three venues
LMN Architects shares his thoughts on the design: “Reflecting the highly interdisciplinary nature of 21st-century venues, the project is characterized by the open lobby and a composition of program blocks arranged around the mural.” Views and the traffic routes around the campus. “The lobby will display the artwork and allow students and visitors to admire the mural from different angles.”
Diego Rivera Portrait | Image courtesy of the San Francisco History Center, San Francisco Public Library
a cultural performing arts center in San Francisco
