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Gallo Arts Center redesign — July 2003

Gallo Arts Center
The new exterior design.

Previous design. This plan turned out to be too expensive.

Marie Gallo being interviewed after introduction of new design on July 17, 2003.

Executive architect Steve Gaffney explains the redesign.

Posed with the new design, left to right: Fred Silva, architect Steve Gaffney, Marie Gallo and
new Arts Center Executive Director Michael Grice.

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Click to View the construction area live web cam.

Click to go to the Arts Center Website

GALLO ARTS CENTER

THE REDESIGN

The design for the Gallo Arts Center was first derived from an open competition among several notable architectural firms based on a Facilities Program and Design Criteria established by the Central Valley Center for the Arts (CVCA). The final design resulted in a building whose mass is dictated by the overall function to serve all aspects of the “Performing Arts” and whose aesthetics are governed by its civic nature and the surrounding landscape of both the downtown area and the County as a whole.

The large mass of the building is a result of the two Auditoriums seating 400 and 1,200 patrons respectively with each of their associated Stage, Fly Lofts, Scene Docks and “Back of House” functions. The seating is spread over two levels in the 400-seat theater while the 1,200-seat theater incorporates a Mezzanine Balcony with 400-seats on a third level. These program elements dictate over 90% of the overall design mass. The remaining functions include the Entry Lobby, Lobby Balconies and the Art Gallery.

The original designs all oriented the building to front on “I” Street set back with a civic plaza as a buffer between the street and the structure. The final design, as approved by the County of Stanislaus, the CVCA and commented on through a public review process, located the Art Gallery at the north end of the block towards 11th Street and the Main Entry to the theaters at the south end towards 10th Street. This was in keeping with the City of Modesto’s overall downtown urban plan to have 10th Street become the major pedestrian corridor beginning at the Convention Center, traveling in front of 10th Street Place and now anchored at “I” Street where it will turn and travel down “I” Street fronting other Civic Centers such as the Courthouse building, the historic Post Office, the McHenry Museum and the Library.

The landscape of the Civic Plaza incorporates the central valley’s agricultural roots by including formal rows of flowering trees reminiscent of the many orchards throughout the County and the inclusion of a “Grape Arbor” over the main entry to the Theater. Two additional donors further enhanced the Plaza after the original design was approved. The first was a major water feature element, which will be located approximately at the mid block of 10th and 11th Streets fronting “I” Street adjacent to the main entry to the Theaters. The second was the participation of the City of Modesto to improve the street right-of-ways surrounding the site to incorporate their new “Downtown Streetscape” which will include new street trees, street and pedestrian lighting and sidewalk improvements.

The architecture of the building structure itself can best be described as “Modern Classicism – or “Modem Traditionalism”. To many, the use of traditional classical design or classical design elements evokes a sense of civic recognition. This is especially true due to the large mass required for a performing arts venue and its setting in Downtown.

The majority of the structure is built of masonry with a cleft (split-face) finish in soft limestone tans and capped with cast stone cornices. The overall mass is broken down into multiple facades to create smaller geometric forms. The major focal point of the façade is the entry at the corner of 10th and “I” Streets. Here the scale of the façade material is reduced by using a brick masonry unit with a smooth texture finished with similar colors to the main structure. The Lobby facade incorporates a colonnade of arched windows with cast stone surrounds. The main element of which was anchored by a “Grand Rotunda”. This Rotunda was not a part of the original Program envisioned by the CVCA but was added to provide both a visual focal point and to increase the area of the Lobby to accommodate large events beyond the associated needs of the theaters.

After competitive bidding of the approved final design, the project was unfortunately over the allowable budget. Therefore, a redesign was required to reduce the overall cost while maintaining the same number of theaters and seats so as not to compromise any of the original Program criteria. Likewise, the visual aesthetics of the building needed to keep the overall architectural aesthetic design. To accomplish this, two major elements and a number minor ones, were analyzed.

The first major design element was based on the fact that the Art Gallery has not, as of yet, received a donor pledge. As a result, the original bid documents included only the shell of the Gallery. The interior finishes for the spaces were to be completed at a later date once a donor, additional funding and a Gallery Program were available. Given the funding and Program issues it is the desire of the CVCA at this time to defer the Art Gallery in its entirety. A preliminary concept design has been prepared which is in keeping with the new design direction discussed below. The site area for the Gallery will be developed as a landscaped park area in the interim that can easily accommodate the future construction of the Art Gallery. This will allow for a finished look and function for the site and will provide a buffer along the building edge.

The second major design change is more involved. As noted earlier, the Grand Rotunda was not a part of the original Program but was added to create a significant architectural element to the façade. While it did serve the function of increasing the Lobby area for large events, it is not necessarily associated with the Theater. Therefore, it was decided that the façade should be redesigned to delete the Grand Rotunda. The challenge would be to create a design that maintains the timeless classicism of the architecture without an icon such as a Rotunda. To do this, the architects looked to the colonnade of arched windows. Rather than place a single prominent element as the focal point for the façade, the entire façade along the expanse of the Lobby was given a broad arc making the entire façade the focal point. By doing this, no single point along the façade takes on a greater importance. The new design softens the overall appearance creating uniformity of its elements while maintaining the fundamental classicism of the original design.

Most of the minor redesign work will have little or no impact on the overall aesthetic or functional requirements of the building. The interiors of the Lobby will require changes caused by the deletion of the Rotunda and the curving of the façade but again, the general aesthetic will remain. Other changes are a result of direction received from the new director for the facility who was not retained until after the original design was complete.

The redesign effort continues to incorporate state-of-the-art lighting, audio, and fly systems, large, proscenium stages, loading docks, orchestra pits, sprung wood floors, and more than ample wing space. The raked and balcony seating of the theatres will provide excellent sight-lines. Audiences will have wider than average seats with more leg room, as well as broad aisles, and a generous, well-appointed lobby with large restrooms. Performers will have large meeting areas, dressing rooms, green rooms, temporary storage and private, secure entrances. Events ranging from Broadway touring shows and large concerts to recitals and lectures will have the means to stage a comfortable and efficient presentation in the Gallo Arts Center.

In conclusion, the redesign effort required to reduce the overall cost of the Gallo Arts Center has resulted in a facility whose functional requirements, including number of theaters, number of seats and acoustics, have not been compromised and the exterior and interior building elements have maintained their architectural classicism of the original design.