Starlight Theatre,Bengt Sjostrom / By Studio Gang Architects

3301 North Mulford Road, Rockford, IL, United States
Studio Gang Architects
Post By:Kitticoon Poopong

Photo © Courtesy of Greg Murphey--Perforated concrete donor wall encloses ticket booth and concessions beneath fixed and kinetic timber roof.

The design of Starlight Theatre maintains the tradition of open–air performances at Rock Valley College but offers new flexibility by allowing the theatre company to extend its season and guarantee shows even when it rains.

Photo © Courtesy of Greg Murphey--People gather outside the theatre before an evening performance

A kinetic roof that opens like the petals of a flower in fair weather provides both shelter and drama that the former stage lacked. Under the roof, the central theatre space forms an unexpected vertical axis to the sky enhancing the audience’s experience of being outdoors. Technologies typically employed to move roofs over massive stadiums were adapted to fit the scale and budget of the roof’s sculptural form.

Photo © Courtesy of Greg Murphey

Encompassing over 135,000 sf, the new theatre and lawn seating maintain strong visual connections to the surrounding landscape. Differentiated seating areas in the lawn allow groups to reserve space for private parties before and after the show. The stage itself is designed to accommodate galas and events in the winter off-season.

Photo © Courtesy of Greg Murphey

Photo © Courtesy of Greg Murphey--An evening performance

Photo © Courtesy of Greg Murphey

To meet the theatre’s desire to remain open every summer season, the design divided the construction work into three discernible stages. Each stage allowed the theatre to operate with full functionality. First the seating bowl was built, then the stage house and finally the roof. With the new building and expanded programming possibilities, Starlight has transformed itself into a popular regional destination and favourite summer venue for the community.

Photo © Courtesy of Studio Gang Architects

Photo © Courtesy of Studio Gang Architects

floor plan--drawing © Courtesy of Studio Gang Architects--The project includes 93,000 SF of landscaped lawn seating

sections--drawing © Courtesy of Studio Gang Architects

fly tower roof structure plan--drawing © Courtesy of Studio Gang Architects

Video: Created for Studio Gang Architects, this performing arts theatre was filmed to capture the true essence of a day in the life of this kinetic architecture. It focuses on the intimate social settings,landscaped boundaries, stage life, and the dynamic "observatory to the stars" roof that opens in fair weather.

Project Data
Project Name: Starlight Theatre/Bengt Sjostrom
Location: 3301 North Mulford Road, Rockford, IL, United States
Size: 42,000 sf theatre and 93,000 sf lawn seating
Cost: $8.5 Million
Unique Characteristics: Kinetic roof opens like petals of a flower
Completion: June 2003

Awards: 

• 2005 Merit Award, United States Institute for Theatre Technology (USITT)
• 2004 Honor Award, Distinguished Building, AIA Chicago
• 2004 Scholarship Prize/Best Overall Design Award, Metal Construction Association (MCA)
• 2003 Gold Medal/President's Award, Association of Licensed Architects (ALA)
• 2003 Award of Honor, Society of American Registered Architects (SARA)

The people

Architect: Studio Gang Architects
1212 N. Ashland Ave. Suite 212
Chicago, IL 60622
T 773-384-1212
F 773-384-0231
e-mail: jgang@studiogang.net

Owner: Rock Valley College
Lead design principal: Jeanne Gang, AIA
Principals: Mark Schendel, AIA, Kathleen O’Donnell, AIA
Project architects: Junko Goseki, Juliane Wolf, Kara Boyd
Project team: Michan Walker, Odile Compagnon, William Emmick, Thomas Alman; team
with models by Yasushi Koakutsu, Michelle Linden, Viola Metzger, Dominick Soltys

Engineers:
Structural Engineer, Design: Dewhurst MacFarlane and Partners, New York, NY; London, UK
Team: Tim Macfarlane, partner, Damian Murphy, Chris O’Hara, David Shea, Yumi Fujikawa, Yoshinori Nito
Engineering Motion Studies: Peter Heppel
Motion Technology: Uni-Systems, Minneapolis, MN, www.uni-systems.com, Cyril Silberman, Frank Worms

Wind Studies: Battle McCarthy, Consulting Engineers, London, UK, www.battlemccarthy.demon.co.uk, Guy Battle
MEP: Consulting Construction Services, LLC, Chicago, IL,Jim Bess

Consultants: 

Landscape: Studio Gang with Rock Valley College
Lighting: (Owner’s Stage Lighting Consultant), Barbizon,Chicago, IL, www.barbizon.com, Tobin Neiss
Rigging: ACD, Indianapolis, IN, Damon Atwood
Sound System: Sound Investment, Chicago, IL
Cost: Construction Cost Systems, Chicago Il., www.ccsos.com

General contractor: Sjostrom & Sons, Rockford, IL, www.sjostromconstruction.com, Joel Sjostrom
Erector: Area Erectors, Rockford, IL, www.areaerectors.com

Photographer: Greg Murphey, (812) 597-0113, murpheystudio@yahoo.com

The products
Structural system

Steel Frame for Roof and Proscenium Building: Metal Fabricators, Rockford, IL
Painter: Karl Schoening & Sons, Rockford, IL www.kschoening.com

Gluelam Roof Panel Structure: RLD Company, Inc., Vancouver, WA
– Supplier: Schmeling Building Supply Rockford, IL www.schmeling.com
– Bailey Lumber, Rockford, IL
Roof Panel Structural Tongue and Grove Wood Decking:
- Manufacturer: Lock-Deckwww.lockdeck.com / Disdero Lumberwww.disdero.com Portland, OR
– Supplier: Schmeling Building Supply
Rockford, IL www.schmeling.com
– Bailey Lumber, Rockford, IL

Exterior cladding
Masonry: Glazed Brick for Control Booth: Rauch Clay Sales Corporation, Chicago, IL www.rauchclay.com
Copper Cladding Proscenium Building: Fabricator / Installer: Master Sheet Metal, Rockford, IL

Roofing
Theatre Roof: Grace Ice & Water Shield, www.na.graceconstruction.com
Proscenium and Control Booth Roof: EPDM Roofing: Firestone, Carmel, IN
Stainless Steel Standing Seam Roof: Fabricator / Installer: Master Sheet Metal, Rockford, IL

Doors
Proscenium Building Weather Door: Door Engineering and Manufacturing Co. www.doorengineering.com, Austin, MN, with Polygal claddingwww.polygalusa.com, Polygal USA, Janesville WI
Door Hardware: Schlage www.schlagelock.com

Interior finishes
Stage Floor: Tongue and Grove Wood Decking: Lock-Deck www.lockdeck.com / Disdero, Lumber www.disdero.com Portland, OR
– Supplier: Schmeling Building Supply, Rockford, IL www.schmeling.com
– Bailey Lumber, Rockford, IL
Raised flooring Control Booth:
– Supplier: Interface AR, Grand Rapids MI, www.interfaceinc.com, Nevamar, Hampton, SC, www.nevamar.com
– Installer: Airtite Contractors, Inc., Chicago, IL www.air-tite.net
Concession Stand Counter Tops: Corian www.corian.com

Furnishings
Fixed seating - Theatre Seats: American Seating, Grand Rapids, MI www.americanseating.com

Lighting
Bollards: Lampas www.lampas.com
Step Lights: Prescolite www.prescolite-lsp.com
House Lighting: Altman www.altmanltg.com
Lighting Controls:
–Theatre lights: Electronic Theatre Controlswww.etcconnect.com
– House lights: Unison

Plumbing
Lavatories: Acorn www.acorneng.com, Neo Metro Collection
Toilets: American Standard, www.americanstandard.com
Drinking Fountain: Haws, www.hawsco.com
Accessories:
– Bradley www.bradleycorp.com
– American Specialties, Inc.americanspecialties.com

Note>>Location in this map, It could indicate city/country but not exact address.

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