Auerbach Pollock Friedlander provided programming, planning, full scope theatre and audio-video consulting services for the new 15,000-seat auditorium and broadcast center at Brigham Young University Idaho’s BYU-Idaho Center. The project included live event support spaces, pre/post production HDTV facilities and a shooting studio for public service programming. Brigham Young Unviersity, Idaho is part of the Church of Jesus Christ of latter Day Saints’ education system.
The large, fan-shaped venue is one of the largest production theatres in North America built for the primary purpose of supporting weekly student devotional services. Featuring simple, clean finishes, a “black out ceiling” with exposed catwalk infrastructure and a forestage grid, the auditorium is also used for religious and secular events of special interest to the campus and community. The facility is a true working theatre with technology and infrastructure representative of the latest cutting edge systems.
The BYU-Idaho Center’s 7,500+ square foot stage has a fully-rigged and automated fly system. In all, over 60 mechanized hoists above the stage and forestage gridirons accommodate the two basic setup modes while minimizing labor and changeover time. The stage may also be reconfigured with respect to height and shape, as over 50% of the floor area consists of variable height platforming.
Although the BYU-Idaho Center’s primary role is that of a public assembly space for worship-related programming, the flexibility required to manage its broad menu of events relies heavily on its design as a working live production and broadcast venue. The flexibility of the stage is constructed to accommodate architectural, lighting and theatrical requirements for a variety of events ranging from the basic production stage to a room with a demountable set of architectural orchestra shell walls, risers and ceiling elements which constitute the flexible “stage set” for devotionals.
The audience area on the main level is configured and sloped to allow for sightlines across the room toward the central presenter’s podium. A lower and upper balcony completes the 15,000-seat plan.
Auerbach Glasow French provided architectural lighting for the lobby and auditorium audience chamber.
