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The city of Lubbock in northwestern Texas has been the birthplace of multiple musicians, with a cultural history catalogued in the historic Depot District's West Texas Walk of Fame. Perhaps the most notable musician to hail from the city of just under 250,000 people was the rock and roll icon Buddy Holly, who tragically died in a plane crash at the age of 22. His legacy has been documented in memorials across Lubbock, with a performing arts centre, street, and statue dedicated in his honour. Holly's legendary status continues to transcend time, and Toronto-based Diamond Schmitt Architects have been tasked with capturing his celebrated standing with a brand new architectural work bearing his name.
The Buddy Holly Hall of Performing Arts and Sciences will be a multi-purpose venue for opera, Broadway shows, symphonic music, concerts, conferences, and social events. The facility will also provide rehearsal and performance space for Ballet Lubbock and access to the Lubbock Independent School District as a learning centre. The interior will be anchored by a 2,200-seat main theatre with an ancillary 400-seat theatre, a 5,000-square-foot multi-purpose room, and a 22,000-square-foot Dance Centre.
In the provided renderings, a helical staircase in the lobby stands alongside amenities like a bistro cafe that help achieve a "community living room" feel. A light sculpture will weave its way throughout an adjacent 200-foot-high communications tower, acting as a marker for the complex and a symbol for Lubbock.
The $146 million price tag will be covered entirely through fundraising efforts by the Lubbock Entertainment and Performing Arts Association (LEPAA). So far, $81 million have been amassed from private donors. With an opening scheduled for 2019, construction is set to commence later this year. When complete, it'll join a long list of concert halls, opera houses, and theatres designed by Diamond Schmitt Architects, including St. Petersburg's New Mariinsky Theatre and an upcoming revitalization of David Geffen Hall in New York City.
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| Related Companies: | Diamond Schmitt Architects |
