McMillan Pazdan Smith, LLC

A 300-seat performance hall with a 2,600 SF stage is located at the heart of the building. It is outfitted with high performance theatrical lighting, rigging and audiovisual systems and is supported by dressing rooms, green room, acting / rehearsal studio, costume design shop, and wood shop for scenery construction, which includes an integral dust collection system. A black box theatre provides an additional performance space for the building.

The art department makes use of 2d and 3d studios sized to accommodate 20-25 students at easels or drawing benches. A ceramics studio features several large work tables and 4 potters wheels with the kiln located outside on a covered porch, which also serves as a space for using spray paint and adhesives. Air quality was taken into account in the art rooms, particularly the ceramics studio. All art studios are washed with natural light and feature views to the outdoors.

Various seminar and lecture format classrooms, faculty offices, and an open courtyard complete the building.

Artwork is publicly displayed in a museum designed to house Wofford’s permanent art collection, as well as in a student gallery immediately off of the main lobby. Humidity, air quality, and temperature in the museum and dedicated art storage space is handled with dedicated units, very tight controls, and attention to off-gassing of materials. Two large, glass sculptures were commissioned by the Richardson’s and created by Chihuly Studios and are featured proximately in the space, underscoring the focus of the building on the arts.

At a cost of $24,000,000, the project opened in mid-2017.