RAVENSCROFT PERFORMING ARTS & EDUCATION CENTRE

Location: Scottsdale, Arizona

Completion: 10/21

Size: 30,000 sf

The owners’ vision was to create a legacy project to continue their commitment and promotion of the music and ministry education profession in the Valley and worldwide. As an adaptive re-use project, the program had to work with the envelope and structure of the existing building. Budget requirements precluded expanding the building, creating a three-dimensional puzzle that required improvisation and inspiration to complete.

The centerpiece is an intimate 200 seat jazz-centric performance hall, outfitted with unparalleled acoustical and visual technology that competes with the best national venues. A Constellation Sound System in combination with 270-degree projection mapping capabilities allows artists an unlimited performance that can be recorded and broadcast to a worldwide audience.

In addition to the performance hall, a state-of-the-art recording studio with five isolated performance rooms provide artists flexibility in use and sound. Extending off the lobby, the Jazzbird venue offers another unique opportunity for performance and gathering. The space evokes the ‘shotgun’ character of many historic jazz bars that revolutionized the industry.

The ministry program spaces are seamlessly integrated and juxtaposed to the high energy music spaces. An intimate prayer room, entered from the performer/admin lobby, features a dramatic two story cylindrical lightwell. This amorphous void is carved out of a poche in the wall, compressing the threshold and turning a corner before opening into celestial heights. The prolate, intimate Chapel provides the users with a larger, communal gathering space.

Inspiration for the design, details and palette were drawn from the construction of the owner’s main instrument, an exquisite piano that bears his name. A rich selection of materials runs throughout the building, unifying the varying programs with subtle details and harmonious design. Each material is celebrated, complimenting the refinement of this project, and paying homage to the craftsmanship.