Burgin Center

The Burgin Center for the Arts creates a new identity for the performing and visual arts at this private preparatory school in rural south-central Pennsylvania, two hours north of Washington, DC., and symbolizes the school’s commitment to promote the arts as a critical part of its rigorous academic curriculum.

Designed as a flexible and sophisticated venue for teaching, performing, and encouraging cross-disciplinary exploration in the arts, the building is intended to encourage all students to explore their creativity, to attract and retain outstanding artist-teachers, and to accommodate exceptional performances by traveling artists. In addition to providing a state-of-the-art multi-purpose performance venue, the theater permits all-school assemblies, and the building serves as a gathering place for the school community.

Situated on the main quadrangle of the 300-acre campus, the 65,500 square foot building defines an eastern edge for the central open green space, which is marked by the library on the north, academic buildings on the east and the historic Ralph Adams Cram chapel on the south. The design takes advantage of the site’s steep slope to the west: the building’s height is mitigated, which reinforces its engagement with the landscape and its scale relationship to other campus buildings. Natural materials including teak and Pennsylvania limestone further reinforce the connection with the sylvan landscape.

A glass curtain wall wraps the outer lobby and defines a perimeter zone. The curtain wall and transparency of the glass blur distinctions between indoor and outdoor spaces. From the campus, the building appears as a light box at night, providing views of the activities within; from within, there are unobstructed views of the campus and the distant mountains.

Program elements include a 650-seat theater, a 120-seat studio theater, recital and chorale halls, theater support spaces, theater shop, and visual arts studios for ceramics, digital work, drawing and painting, music practice rooms, and dance studios. Variable acoustics and advanced theater teaching technologies are incorporated as part of the Academy’s goal to emphasize the performing arts in its core curriculum.