OMA in collaboration with KOO Architects has been selected as winners of an international competition to design an innovative Center for the Arts on the University of Illinois at Chicago campus, which was initiated in 2017 as part of UIC’s 10-year master plan. The project of OMA and KOO was one of three proposals chosen as finalists for the center.
The building will be sited at the northwest corner of Halsted and Harrison streets.
The architects have proposed a tent-like concept, featuring glassy towers connected by a sloping fabric roof. A six-sided concert hall is covered by a semi-translucent canopy. An eastern theater wing has a rooftop terrace. A mechanical facade opens onto the existing Harrison Field. The doubly-curved roof is inspired by the swinging of a conductor’s baton.
“We are honored to be awarded this project that will serve as a new cultural anchor for the students of UIC and the city of Chicago. Our design focuses on fostering dialogue between performance and the public — the new building will be a connector between the city and UIC’s urban campus. In collaboration with the College of Architecture, Design, and the Arts and the School of Theatre and Music, we hope to create an openness and extreme accessibility by introducing a new platform for the diverse activities of UIC.”, said Shohei Shigematsu, Partner in OMA
https://www.archdaily.com/917423/oma-koo-chosen-to-design-chicago-center-for-arts