The goal for this studio was to design a music and dance school for children on a site along the North Park blocks in downtown Portland. Music students would learn via the Suzuki method, an instruction method which includes performances following each lesson.
Due to the importance of performance in the school, three performance spaces make up the core of the building, two large practice/performance rooms and a concert hall. The concept for this design is the three volumes supported by and projecting out from a structural grid. This organization announces the importance of these performance spaces in the mission of the school.
The concert hall was placed on the second floor, facing west to take advantage of the views of the park blocks and to create a sense of procession as attendees move through the ground floor entrance hall and up the stairs to arrive at the concert hall.