The
Spencer Theater for the Performing Arts represents the convergence
of the
theater of landscape and the theater of performance.
The site, which is situated in the middle of the Fort Stanton Mesa
in Alto, NM, just outside Ruidoso, stands dead center between Sunset
Peak on the east horizon, and Sierra Blanca Peak to the west. Sierra
Blanca, meaning white mountain, becomes the initial locus for the
building in form and position. The white wedge-like form of the
theater suggests a monolithic piece of stone that has forced
its way up from
beneath the crust of the mesa. Lodged within a fissure, and erupting
from the north flank, is a crystalline, chandelier-like shell of
laminated glass linking the vertical procession to the upper lobby
and entry to the theater house. This faceted glass entry lobby
and gathering space contrasts with and consciously subverts the
mass
of the body of the building. The theater, which seats 514 guests
with six additional seats for patrons in wheelchairs, consists
of two buildings separated by a 6” air buffer to prevent
mechanical noises from interfering with the acoustics of the
theater.
This 46,479 SF building included installation of thousands
of lighting fixtures regulated by an extensive theatrical control
system provided by GARDNER ZEMKE, emergency generator, switchgear,
and special systems. GARDNER ZEMKE performed the complete Mechanical
and Electrical, including HVAC. |
