Renee and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall and Samueli Theater

Costa Mesa, California, USA
290,000 square feet / 27,000 square meters
2005

The Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall and the Samueli Theater expand the Segerstrom Center for the Arts, one of Southern California’s premier cultural destinations. The concert hall is home to two symphony orchestras and a chorale, while the theater hosts jazz, cabaret, family events and other performances.

Organized around a large plaza, the building is an elegant and vibrant sculptural form. The main entrance to the concert hall is an undulating glass wall, while the other three sides of the building sides are a composition in limestone recalling Cubist sculpture. In the lobby, a silver-​leafed ceiling soars 80 feet above street level. Along the staircase, 300 sparkling lamps are suspended at graduated lengths.

Inside the concert hall, a silver-​leafed canopy reflects the color and movement of the performers on the stage below. The ribbons of the canopy relate to the curving forms of the concert hall balconies, the lobby ceiling, and the glass façade. The canopy appears to be almost an extension of the organ itself, reinforcing the fluid movement of the design.

The outer shell of the concert hall, chamber doors, orchestra platform, rear wall and organ base is finished in light maple wood battens that emphasize the horizontal lines of the hall. Balconies, which double as an acoustical element, are cantilevered from the walls in graceful curves. Other acoustic features include acoustic control chambers and velvet draperies that are hidden in the recesses of the walls until needed.

The theater has its own architectural identity suited to the less formal events it hosts. Above the entrance, large frosted glass panels, illuminated from behind, accent the white limestone façade. As in the concert hall, the theater lobby includes a white ceiling that glows with recessed edge lighting. The walls are constructed of masonry units, while the room is articulated with horizontal wood battens, culminating in an end wall faced with richly colored veneers. The space accommodates end-​stage, theater in the round, meeting and banquet configurations.

The building also includes rehearsal rooms, kitchen and dining facilities, a box office, administrative offices, VIP suites, and support areas.