The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, based right in Washington D.C., had a grand opening on September 7 to celebrate its first building expansion since 1971.
The addition has been dubbed as “The REACH” and was designed by Steven Holl Architects. It sits on more than 130,000 square feet of lawn and provides ample space for public use spaces, classrooms, and even rehearsal studios. (BDC Network)
This expansion is also notable because of its sculpture-like design (void slab) which is uncommon in the U.S.
In this way it’s more than simply a bigger space now, but one that speaks its purpose at first glance with its extreme angular (and somewhat avant-garde) aesthetics.
For photos of the addition, see these news sources:
- Kennedy Center’s $250M REACH addition debuts Saturday
- Open To All: The Kennedy Center’s New Addition Encourages Community Engagement
- The REACH Opening Festival September 7
This new design is also so striking because it bears such a contrast to the original portion of the Kennedy Center — once called a “superbunker” for its huge interior elements and for not having many windows.