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Boca Raton Center for Arts and Innovation


Renzo Piano Building Workshop (2023 - 2024)
Boca Raton, Florida




Rendering of the Piazza - Courtesy Renzo Piano Building Workshop


Commission: to design a new performing arts venue for the city of Boca Raton


Project Status

Concept Design Complete
The Center for Arts and Innovation brings a new vision for cultural and performing arts venues, combining an open and flexible educational and partnership space, a dynamic black box theater, and a large transformable main venue. The main venue, provided with state-of-the-art infrastructure, can transform to suite everything from traditional ballet to a rock concert to a drone race. 
Equally important to the design is the civic role of the building. Located at the culmination of the pedestrian Mizner Boulevard, a square Piazza is envisioned as a generous public space. The interior ground floor and lobby are porious continuations of this pedestrian experience. Finally, the belvedere, a floating box high above the photovoltaic roof line serves as a symbol from afar and offers dramatic views of the city. 
Responsibility
  • Architect
  • Concept Design


Design Team
Design Architect
  • Renzo Piano Building Workshop
Architect of Record
  • Davis Brody Bond / Page
Consultants
  • (Undisclosed)




First Floor Plan Second Floor Plan Third Floor Plan Roof Plan


South Elevation
South Elevation


The volume of this three-story building is largely determined by the performing arts nature of the program. With a significant interior venue and back of house support space that does not want natural light, the architectural form is articulated as a floating mass. Elsewhere, as in the public spaces, office and educational space, the mass recedes and natural light is abundant. Above the mass is a continuous photovoltaic roof structure providing significant energy production for the project. Finally, this massive roof is visually juxtaposed by the intimate Belvedere rising above, a public living room for the city.   


Diagrammatic Model Perspective Rendering of the Belvedere - Courtesy of Renzo Piano Building Workshop


The new Piazza serves as the culmination of the active pedestrian life of Mizner Boulevard and becomes the fulcrum around which the new project is centered. In addition to providing a new space for spontaneous public life, the Piazza can host farmers markets, pop-up festivals, or outdoor ampitheater performances. For large events in the main venue, large operable doors would allow the crowds to extend out into the Piazza as well.

Perspective Rendering of Main Entrance - Courtesy Renzo Piano Building Workshop Perspective Rendering of Main Entrance - Courtesy Renzo Piano Building Workshop






Professional Projects

Architect, Artist, Writer


Architect, Artist, Writer