Tempe Center for the Arts

Tempe Center for the Arts
Exterior view of venue from the Salt River (c.2011)
Map
Address700 W Rio Rio Salado Pkwy
Tempe, AZ
United States
LocationMetro Phoenix
Coordinates33°25′54.1″N 111°56′56.4″W / 33.431694°N 111.949000°W / 33.431694; -111.949000
OwnerCity of Tempe
Capacity600 (Theater)
275 (Studio)
219 (Lakeside)
Construction
Broke ground2004
OpenedSeptember 7, 2007 (2007-09-07)
Construction cost$65 million
($105 million in 2023 dollars[1])
Architect
Project managerKitchell
Structural engineerArup Group
Services engineerStantec
General contractorOkland Construction[2]
Website
Venue Website

Tempe Center for the Arts (TCA) is a publicly owned performing and visual arts center in Tempe, Arizona. It opened in September 2007 and houses a 600-seat proscenium theater, a 200-seat studio theater, and a 3,500-square-foot gallery.[2] Its Lakeside Room seats 200 people and overlooks Tempe Town Lake.[3][4]

History

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In 1998, a citizens group along with city leaders in Tempe began to discuss and survey citizens about the idea of an arts center of the city. With positive reception to the proposition, city officials begin to plan the out the facility that would become the Tempe Center for the Arts.[4]

Tempe residents officially approved the center two years later, passing Proposition 400, which dedicated a one-tenth percent sales tax to provide funding for development, construction and operation of the center. $63 million for the art center and $2.7 million for the adjacent art park in funding was secured in the bill.[5][6] On April 11, 2002, the Tempe City Council officially approved the final plans for the arts center.[4]

Ground broke on the project on April 22, 2003. While originally slated to open in spring 2006, the design and construction of the roof proved a larger under taking than planned.[7] The Tempe Center for the Arts completed construction in August 2007, with a grand opening on September 9, 2007.[8][9][10]

Architecture

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The building was designed by Barton Myers Associates of Los Angeles and Architekton of Tempe.[11][12] For the entrance, environmental designer Ned Kahn used 8,000 embedded marbles and tiny mirrors to create a shimmering, sunlit effect at the Center’s marquee. It echoes the shimmering effect on the west wall of the Lakeside room, where an array of mirrors captures and digitizes the available light reflecting off the Center’s negative edge pool.[12]

The Centre features a roof made of complex, geometrically folded plates.[13] The roof is visible from the surrounding freeways and the man-made Tempe Town Lake, which occupies the natural watercourse of the Salt River, immediately adjacent to the site.

The city government chose a management company (Kitchell CEM) to oversee a three-phase design competition, which resulted in the selection of the design team in 2000.

Five public art pieces were included in the design:

  • Entry Marquee[14] – Ned Kahn
  • Fireplace[15]– trueNorth - Mayme Kratz and Mark Ryan
  • Fountain Reflections[16] – Ned Kahn
  • Lobby Carpet[17] – Ramona Saskiestewa
  • Aurora[18] - Brower Hatcher

The Center includes the Gallery at TCA, a visual arts gallery featuring free exhibits of two and three-dimensional artwork by both locally and internationally recognized artists.

Current Resident Artists

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Past Resident Artists

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Home to city-produced programs:

  • Songwriters' Showcase
  • In the Spotlight
  • Tempe Poetry in April
  • Art After Work
  • Finally Friday
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  • Photo on the outside of the Lakeside looking across the reflecting pond known as Mare Undarum – Sea of Waves.
    Photo on the outside of the Lakeside looking across the reflecting pond known as Mare Undarum – Sea of Waves.
  • Photo of the lobby looking east.
    Photo of the lobby looking east.
  • Photo of the lobby looking west.
    Photo of the lobby looking west.
  • Photo of the lobby carpet design called Agua Corriente, looking down from the third floor.
    Photo of the lobby carpet design called Agua Corriente, looking down from the third floor.
  • Photo looking at the East side of the building exterior.
    Photo looking at the East side of the building exterior.
  • Photo looking at the West side of the building exterior.
    Photo looking at the West side of the building exterior.
  • TCA Exterior
    TCA Exterior
  • Bridge outside TCA
    Bridge outside TCA
  • Outside TCA Theater
    Outside TCA Theater
  • Sunset at TCA
    Sunset at TCA
  • TCA Theater
    TCA Theater

References

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  1. ^ 1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved February 29, 2024.
  2. ^ a b "Tempe Center for the Arts by Barton Myers Associates and Architekton | 2008-01-18 | Architectural Record". www.architecturalrecord.com. Retrieved 2024-08-03.
  3. ^ "Grand Opening Family Event". Arizona Republic via Newspapers.com. September 8, 2007. Retrieved 2024-08-03.
  4. ^ a b c d "Your guide to the Tempe Center for the Arts". Arizona Republic via Newspapers.com. September 8, 2007. Retrieved 2024-08-03.
  5. ^ "Future Of Tempe Arts Sales Tax Up To Voters". KJZZ. 2018-07-17. Retrieved 2024-08-03.
  6. ^ Nelson, Katie (September 8, 2007). "Nothing in architecture was left to chance". Arizona Republic via Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2024-08-03.
  7. ^ Wanke, Jessica (July 8, 2006). "Tempe Center for arts plans to have something for everyone". Arizona Republic via Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2024-08-03.
  8. ^ "Tempe Center for the Arts | Phoenix Theater: An Eccentric History". 2014-07-12. Retrieved 2024-08-03.
  9. ^ Rau, Alia Beard (April 30, 2003). "Arts center takes 1st step". Arizona Republic via Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2024-08-03.
  10. ^ a b c Wanke, Jessica (July 7, 2006). "Addition of roof gives shape to Center for Arts". Arizona Republic via Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2024-08-03.
  11. ^ "Tempe Center for the Arts by Barton Myers Associates and Architekton". www.architecturalrecord.com. Retrieved 2022-04-09.
  12. ^ a b "Tempe Center for the Arts / Architekton". ArchDaily. 2011-08-27. Retrieved 2022-04-09.
  13. ^ "Tempe Center for the Arts construction photograph-Roof Construction". emuseum.temmpe.gov. Retrieved 2024-08-03.
  14. ^ "Tempe Cultural Services - Public Art - Downtown Tempe". Archived from the original on 2008-10-10. Retrieved 2008-11-12.
  15. ^ "Tempe Cultural Services - Public Art - Downtown Tempe". Archived from the original on 2008-10-10. Retrieved 2008-11-12.
  16. ^ "Tempe Cultural Services - Public Art - Downtown Tempe". Archived from the original on 2008-10-10. Retrieved 2008-11-12.
  17. ^ "Tempe Cultural Services - Public Art - Downtown Tempe". Archived from the original on 2008-10-10. Retrieved 2008-11-12.
  18. ^ "Tempe Cultural Services - Public Art - Downtown Tempe". Archived from the original on 2008-10-10. Retrieved 2008-11-12.

See also

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