New York structure studio Diller Scofidio + Renfro has been chosen to renovate the Kalita Humphreys Theater in Dallas, Texas, which was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.

Diller Scofidio + Renfro (DS+R) will restore the unique construction designed by Wright in 1959 as his first and solely standalone theatre – which has since had a sequence of additives added and has fallen right into a state of disrepair.

“Certainly, over time, a mixture of neglect and additions have compromised the constructing’s integrity,” stated DS+R partner-in-charge Charles Renfro.

“Restoring the Kalita Humphreys Theater to its authentic state requires a multifaceted strategy that entails surgical extraction, selective reconstruction, cautious preservation, and devoted reinterpretation of Wright’s design intent.”

Wright’s authentic construction comprised a roughly pentagonal construction with clean edges topped by a round massing. Within the late Sixties, a foyer was added to the unique that, in line with Renfro, “compromised the unique massing of the constructing”.

DS+R will renovate the unique constructing, eradicating components of the foyer addition and extracting different “superfluous components” added in many years for the reason that constructing was accomplished.

Modifications will even be made to the theatre itself, refurbishing it to resemble nearer Wright’s imaginative and prescient for the theatre by repositioning the seating within the auditorium and bettering AV and back-of-house services.

“As a way to safeguard the way forward for the Kalita Humphreys Theater, the venture should not solely restore but in addition renovate the theater to assist the wants of up to date artists and audiences,” stated Renfro.

The plans additionally embrace the renovation of the grounds surrounding the theatre. This contains enhancements to the landscaping in addition to the addition of buildings to enrich the creative programming of the property.

Wright’s authentic design referenced the limestone bluffs that when lined the positioning, however these pure options have since been eliminated to make approach for parking heaps and different infrastructural components.

“Whereas the bluffs eliminated as a part of the 1968 addition are irrecoverable, a flippantly reshaped panorama will echo the unique topography of the positioning,” stated Renfro.

“Invasive bamboo will likely be eliminated in favor of native grasses and shrubs, serving to to regulate erosion and soak up runoff throughout more and more intense climactic occasions.”

A video reveals the buildings amongst landscaped pathways

The landscaping will likely be carried out to raised join the theatre with the adjoining park that flanks the Turtle Creek waterway.

Alongside the landscaped pathways, the studio plans on implementing a set of pavilions of varied capabilities, all constructed to reference the size and type of the theatre.

These will embrace a black-box theatre of a “walkable ceiling grid and an operable facade”, a multi-purpose house meant for instructional programming and a rehearsal “tower”.

All the buildings will likely be made out of mass timber, which DS + R stated will likely be sourced from native producers. The timber will act as a “heat and natural counterpoint to the mineral palette of the unique theater constructing” stated Renfro.

Based in 1981, DS+R has accomplished initiatives all through the US and internationally together with the Prior Efficiency Artwork for the Faculty of the Holy Cross in Massachusetts.

Just lately, co-founder Elizabeth Diller defined the strategies and concepts behind iconic the Broad museum in Los Angeles in an unique Dezeen video.