Putting the spotlight on campus- and citywide collaboration.
The CoStar Center for Arts and Innovation consolidates VCU’s art programs into one location, more firmly establishing the strength of these programs. The $253 million building includes flexible classroom spaces, performance venues, and interdisciplinary makerspaces for the fast-growing relationships across arts, business, medicine, and engineering. The Center will also be a space for digital and economic initiatives for both the campus and city while allowing students to collaborate with businesses and organizations on a variety of projects.
Altieri has provided comprehensive engineering design services to support the multi-faceted program:
- Key front of house spaces – concert hall, proscenium theater, innovation studio, and sound stage – has required high levels of coordination between our electrical team, theatre consultants, AV consultants, and lighting designers to ensure seamless performances with high quality technical displays. In close collaboration with Kirkegaard, Altieri has designed mechanical and piping systems, as well as conduit layout, to meet space sound requirements that prioritize all noise criteria.
- Back of house spaces include lighting labs, visualization studio, 5,325 SF makerspace equipped with state of the art 3D printers, spray booths, infrastructure for students to weld, build, and manufacturer performance scenery. Altieri systems designs target dust collection, dedicated spray booth exhaust, makerspace fire suppression, eye wash and shower, electrical safety features/EStops on all makerspace equipment, and dye vat hoods, among other safety standards.
- Musical arts spaces, including full recording media studio and booth, 2,350 SF ensemble studio, and 3,170 SF dedicated to individual or group practice rooms, require robust acoustical treatments and mechanical systems designed for low velocity ductwork in order to mitigate noise generated from mechanical systems as well as any exterior noise.
The project has drawn on Altieri’s significant expertise designing systems for projects requiring multiple unique building systems within one envelope.
“It’s a game changer. It brings our nationally prominent art and innovation programs to the busiest intersection in Richmond and connects us to the city.”
Meredith Weiss, university vice president
