Award of Merit Higher Education/Research

Photo courtesy of C.W. Driver

C.W. Driver served as general contractor on the project.

CSU Northridge's new $125-million Valley Performing Arts Center is a five-story, U-shaped building wrapping around a central courtyard. The center, recently certified LEED Gold, features a 1,700-seat, technically and acoustically superior performance hall; a 180-seat experimental theater; dressing rooms and green room; costume, scene, props and paint shops; lighting, scenery, acting, sound and multimedia labs; radio station; and a 230-seat recital/lecture room. A dramatic glass lobby wall opens the building's interior to the campus and Nordhoff Avenue. This orientation creates courtyard and lobby spaces that connect visually with adjacent music and theater building courtyards.

One of the university's main project goals was to create a dynamic design, distinct within the Los Angeles architectural design environment.

Key Players

Owner: California State University, Northridge

General Contractor/Construction Management: C.W. Driver, Pasadena

Architect/Civil, Structural, MEP Engineer: HGA Architects and Engineers, Minneapolis

Submitted by:

C.W. Driver