THE REACH
WASHINGTON, DC
The REACH at John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is a living tribute to American President Kennedy for his love of the arts. Situated on the banks of the Potomac River, the center presents the greatest performances of music, dance, and theater. It houses nine theaters and stages that attract approximately 3 million people annually. Some of its affiliates are the National Symphony Orchestra, the Washington National Opera, the Suzanne Farrell Ballet and VSA (Very Special Arts). Over the past decades, the center has grown to be the largest and busiest performing arts facility in the nation.
This project was completed at BNIM in Kansas City, where I served as an Architectural Designer, contributing to the design development and construction documents phases.
Arts · public institution
Washington, DC
The REACH expands the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts with spaces for rehearsal, performance, education, and gathering. Designed by Steven Holl Architects with BNIM as associate architect, three concrete pavilions emerge from a public landscape, with much of the program connected beneath planted roofs. Curved forms bring daylight into spaces below, while glazing frames views toward the landscape and Potomac River. Textured concrete surfaces contribute to the character and acoustics of the interior spaces.
As an Architectural Designer at BNIM, I contributed to design development and construction documents for the project team working with Steven Holl Architects. My work included Revit BIM setup, massing geometry, architectural detailing, and construction documentation.
Three pavilions and their connected spaces create a setting for the Kennedy Center’s performing arts programs and public landscape. Board-formed and shaped concrete, glazing, and planted roofs define the relationship between the pavilions and their surroundings.
Architecture: Steven Holl Architects, design architect; BNIM, associate architect | Images: original project materials