Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA
Rand Elliot and his team at Rand Elliot Architects designed a new makeover of Oklahoma’s Contemporary Arts Center, creating a monumental and luminous structure, by using 16,800 aluminum fins to cover-up an existing four-story building in Oklahoma City.
This project was short-listed for a 2021 International Architecture Award from The Chicago Athenaeum and The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies.
Oklahoma Contemporary’s new downtown campus stands as a cultural destination among the architecture of Oklahoma City, a sculptural expression of the nonprofit’s mission to provide accessible, inclusive arts experiences.
Situated on the northern edge of the historic Automobile Alley within the burgeoning Innovation District and on a dedicated streetcar stop, the Center was envisioned as a place for the community to gather, create and experience art.
The new 53,916 square-foot, four-story building, “Folding Light,” anchors the 4.6-acre campus, which includes a renovated 1910 historic warehouse (to house studios for ceramics, fiber, metal, and wood) and a three-block arts park, providing space for outdoor exhibitions, education programs, and public performances.
On approach, visitors are greeted by a striking, sculptural building with a facade comprised of 16,800 custom-designed, recycled, extruded aluminum fins.
The unique exterior shell is constructed from bright-dipped recycled aluminum, resulting in an ethereal facade designed to capture the state’s ever-changing weather conditions and reflects and embraces the landscape’s dramatic changes in light and sky.
The vertical, four-story Lantern on the southwest corner is lit each evening, marking the campus entry. A sculptural canopy on the east, inspired by Oklahoma’s tallgrass prairies, adds elegance to the entrance and offers guests protection from the elements.
The light-filled lobby welcomes visitors into an open space that leads to flexible areas for public use including the “Creative Lounge,” Café Contemporary, and gift shop.
In addition to the 8,000 SF of galleries, the center includes a flexible theater space that seats 200, a dance studio, and nine classroom studios.
Classrooms are created to be universal in their use. The only fixed details include a work counter and shelving, polished concrete floor, and dimmable LED lights.
Acoustics are controlled by a perforated metal deck and the exposed structure provides an architectural learning exercise for students.
“We want the building to create opportunities for discovery, inspiration, and to place you in an environment where you see things and experience things that remain with you. Think of the building as an educational tool,” said the architect.
Exterior walls fold as they wrap the interior space that is reflected directly on the interior main gallery where the folding form creates different sized walls that allow both small and large artworks to be displayed.
The second floor includes a learning gallery, photo classroom, sound studio, multimedia lab, artist-in-residence studio, staff offices, and access to the second-floor terrace to be used as an outdoor classroom or event space.
The third floor houses the Te Ata theater and dance rehearsal studio and is dedicated to performing arts and serves as a creative home for local resident companies in dance, theater, music, film, and culture.
Building on Oklahoma Contemporary’s tradition of supporting local artists and attracting the world’s best and brightest, the flexible performance space will feature touring performances and unique collaborations. Staff offices reside on the fourth floor.
Project: Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center
Architects: Rand Elliott Architects
Client: Oklahoma Contemporary
Contractor: Smith & Pickel Construction Co.
Photographers: Scott McDonald, Gray City Studios
