USC United University Church Adaptive Reuse for School of Dramatic Arts
los angeles
BEST PROJECT
Sent by: Perkins Eastman | Pfeiffer
Owner: University of Southern California
Main design company: Perkins Eastman | Pfeiffer
General contractor: Construction MATT
Civil Engineer: KPFF
Structural Engineer: Nabih Yousef & Associates
MEP Engineer: Affiliated Engineers Inc.
Architectural lighting: Pivot lighting design
Theater consultant: DNA Theatre
An adaptive reuse project has transformed USC’s historic 1931 United University Church into the new home of its School of Dramatic Art (SDA).
The scope of work for this two-year effort included the conversion of the existing building’s main chapel, with its arches, double arches and plaster detailing, into a theater space, while maintaining the original character and defining features of the building.
The chapel had minimal infrastructure, but the teams had to add a significant number of new systems within the limited space of the building’s existing walls, including seismic bracing and modern electrical, mechanical and plumbing that would support sustainability goals.
Historical drawings from the 1930s did not represent what was actually built. Unplanned structural elements include beams and columns. To overcome this challenge, the team used a laser point cloud scanner to create an accurate 3D model of the existing structure, which was then cross-referenced with the design team’s model, ensuring placement and the precise alignment of the new infrastructure while preserving the previously existing geometry. .
Photo by Stephanie Kingsnorth
The design and construction teams ensured that all new systems were installed compactly and efficiently to fit within the limited space of the chapel. The team used detailed coordination and innovative engineering solutions to seamlessly blend the new infrastructure with the historic fabric, while maintaining the aesthetic and structural integrity of the chapel.
The lower level sanctuary and gathering space became performance areas, while the design added space for consolidated programs, including rehearsal and backstage areas, teaching and student facilities, and offices
The sanctuary’s original cast stone details, heavy wooden trusses and light fixtures were carefully restored while the architectural and structural elements were enhanced.
Although the design called for replacing the building’s steel windows, doing so would have been cost and time prohibitive. Instead, the team reused and updated the existing windows to meet modern energy requirements while retaining their historic appearance by removing the panes and replacing them with new, more thermally efficient glass.
