Our Program for this project was to combine a dance academy with a theater that could acoomodate dance performances as well as outside performances.  The program requirements also states that we follow all of the state and federal regulations including height restrictions.  When the height restrictions are applied to a 50 foot clearance for sets it creates design complications to be overcome.
     I found that the only logical solution was to separate the two purposes onto the two floors.  The academy would reside on the first floor while the theater would be on the second.  The academy includes two dance studios as well as administrative offices and locker room.  The second floor theater and accommodations guided the shape of the roof into the exterior slope that you see in the renderings.  The slope allows for the superb acoustics as well as an aesthetic that creates a great civic space.