Gichi-ziibi Center for the Arts — Gichi-ziibi Center for the Arts
The Gichi-ziibi Center for the Arts, a 1,200-seat proscenium performing arts center attached to Brainerd High School in Brainerd, Minnesota, opened May 26, 2021, designed by architect of record Widseth with theatre planning and lighting design by Schuler Shook and AV systems consulting by Peterson AV Consulting.
| Venue | Gichi-ziibi Center for the Arts |
|---|---|
| Project type | New Building |
| Status | Completed |
| Year completed | 2021 |
| Technologies | adjustable acoustic shell, motorized rigging / power-assist fly system, integrated stage and architectural lighting control |
Credits
| Firm | Role | Note |
|---|---|---|
| widseth | Architecture | architect of record |
| Schuler Shook | Lighting Design | theatre planning, adjustable acoustic system, orchestra pit and pit cover, rigging, curtains, stage lighting, architectural lighting, and integrated lighting control system |
| peterson-av-consulting | AV Integration | AV systems consulting/design |
Description
Funded by Brainerd Public Schools' 2018 bonding referendum, the center fulfilled a decades-old vision dating to the high school's original 1960s construction. It houses a 1,200-seat proscenium theatre with an adjustable acoustic shell and ceiling clouds, an expanded orchestra pit and pit cover, a flexible black-box "Studio Stage," music ensemble and practice rooms, dressing rooms, and a scene shop. Community stakeholder Lakes Area Music Festival, which stages professional symphonic, chamber, ballet, and opera performances in the space, prompted taxpayer-approved features (expanded orchestra pit, adjustable acoustics) beyond a typical high school auditorium. Acoustical engineering was provided by Kvernstoen, Ronnholm & Associates. The venue is named "Gichi-ziibi" (Ojibwe for "big river," a name for the Mississippi River), acknowledging the region's Indigenous history.
Sources
- https://schulershook.com/projects/brainerd-high-school
- https://widseth.com/performing-arts-center-design-for-brainerd-and-pillager-school-districts/
- https://www.wengercorp.com/projectprofiles/gichi-ziibi-center-for-the-arts/
- https://www.brainerddispatch.com/news/gichi-ziibi-now-open-new-arts-center-represents-community-partnerships-celebrates-native-history