The board of directors at Sarasota Orchestra in Florida has approved the selection of William Rawn Associates as the design architect for its future Music Center.
Sarasota Orchestra said the Music Center at 5701 Fruitville Road will bring the region its first concert hall purpose-built for acoustic music.
The Boston-based William Rawn Associates will work closely with project partners including executive architect HKS, and acoustician and theatre planner Stages Consultants.
William Rawn Associates’ notable projects include the Boston Symphony Orchestra’s Seiji Ozawa Hall at Tanglewood. The team also designed Boston Symphony Orchestra’s Linde Center for Music and Learning at Tanglewood, The Music Center at Strathmore, Sonoma State University’s Joan & Sanford I. Weill Hall and more.
“This decision was made with the utmost care from our board and marks a defining moment in the realisation of our Music Center,” said Sarasota Orchestra board chair Tom Koski. “With William Rawn Associates as our design architect, we can now truly begin to picture what this space will look and feel like for our community.”
The team assigned to design Sarasota Orchestra’s Music Center includes Cliff Gayley, principal at William Rawn Associates and lead designer, Kevin Bergeron, associate principal at William Rawn Associates and project manager for the Music Center, and Douglas Johnston, principal at William Rawn Associates.
“We are thrilled for the opportunity to design Sarasota Orchestra’s Music Center and to create a community destination that is a true reflection of the region’s cultural landscape,” said Gayley. “We also look forward to collaborating with the other project partners and building on the great work they have already begun. Through our experience on other arts projects, we have long learned the value of understanding one another and speaking together in one voice toward a common goal.”
The Music Center design architect selection process began in earnest late in 2023 when Sarasota Orchestra’s board of directors approved the criteria for evaluating potential design architect partners. Sarasota Orchestra owner’s representative Garfield Public/Private worked with the board to invite design architectural firms that matched the criteria − with both expertise in acoustically excellent and architecturally significant venue designs – to submit proposals. The board also established a Building Committee that reviewed and evaluated proposals and interviewed finalists before coming to the full board with a final recommendation.
“William Rawn Associates not only possesses the experience needed to build a best-in-class music centre, but they also share our passion for advancing the arts in Sarasota,” said Joseph McKenna, president and CEO of Sarasota Orchestra. “We have complete confidence in their ability to help us realise our vision and could not be more excited to officially have them on board.”
William Rawn Associates has quickly begun work since joining the project team. The architects are already advancing through the concept development phase, during which they are immersing themselves in Sarasota Orchestra’s architectural landscape, attending concerts and events, and meeting with orchestra board leadership, senior staff, local arts community leaders and other stakeholders. As planning progresses, input from Sarasota Orchestra musicians and music director designate, Giancarlo Guerrero, will also be vital. Guerrero was appointed Sarasota Orchestra’s music director designate in August.
The design architect will lead the overarching direction and visual appeal planning for the Music Center during the initial design stages. Once the design has been determined, the executive architect, HKS, will then lead the Music Center’s transformation from design plans to completion, while ensuring adherence to regulatory standards and quality assurance.
