EAPC and Perkins+Will teamed to design a new 33,000 SF performing arts facility for Red River High School.
The addition includes a 700-seat auditorium with back-of-house support spaces, an events lobby, an orchestra rehearsal room, 12 practice studios, instrument storage area, make-up and dressing rooms, a digital music composition lab, and an independent stage lift for performances and set erection.
The design of the addition, which complements the massing and material palette of the existing school, integrates high-performance HVAC, AV technology, theater rigging, lighting, and acoustics to create a 21st century theater experience. A portion of the music suite in the existing school was remodeled to create an enlarged music library and departmental hub.
The facility offers the Grand Forks community new opportunities to engage the performing arts. In addition to high school music and drama performances, it hosts the Grand Forks Summer Performing Arts Company, a popular program for elementary through high school students. Parents and other theatergoers arriving at the new hall are welcomed by a landscaped entry plaza and by the building’s generous glazing and deep roof extensions.
“If you were planning a project that would impact the next 30-50 years of your organization, why wouldn’t you want to work with a professional company with a creative staff like EAPC? They provide the communication and relationships that help ensure a successful project that will impact the future of your organization. Thank you to EAPC for creating a building that opens up whole new worlds of experience and education for many classes of students to come.”
—Dean Opp, Director, Summer Performing Arts
When asked how the project has benefited the organization, Summer Performing Arts Director, Dean Opp said, “[It] has brought the Music and Theatre programs to the next level of possibilities. On the Music side, we have gone from singing or playing in a gym to performing in a top notch facility. On the Theatre side, we now have the possibility of doing things that before we could only dream of. The new space has increased access for the public to view events. Most importantly, the new space has given students increased opportunities for education experiences in both Music and Theatre.”
“While there are many positive elements to the building, one thing that tops the list is the nice leg room and sight lines for the audience seating. The thing that students like best about the building is the spaces for practice, storage, rehearsal.”
—Dean Opp,
