As part of its inaugural Community Alliance Awards, the San Francisco Chapter of the American Institute of Architects has recognized American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) for its contributions to the advancement and enrichment of the quality of life in the Bay Area through their commitment to design excellence. The 50-year-old nonprofit arts organization was specifically honored with the Revitalization Award for the positive impact that The Strand, A.C.T.’s new theater venue and education facility, has had on the surrounding Central Market and Tenderloin neighborhoods.
Designed by SOM, the Strand’s renovation resurrected an abandoned, 100-year-old movie theater to provide A.C.T. with a 285-seat proscenium theater, a public lobby and cafe, and a flexible space that can serve as classroom, black box theater, rehearsal space, and event hall.
“It was our goal from the beginning to create a thrilling public space that would not only invite theatergoers inside but truly transform a neighborhood,” said Carey Perloff, Artistic Director of A.C.T. “SOM was a remarkable and patient collaborator who realized this vision through a deep investigation of A.C.T.’s needs and a flexible approach to the complicated problems of repurposing an existing space. The results are beyond what we could have dreamed.”
A.C.T. will be honored at the Community Alliance Awards Breakfast on December 4, 2015, at the California College of the Arts’ Center for Art and Public Life.