Upper School Theater
Wilmington Friends School | Wilmington, Delaware
After a fire burned through its Upper School auditorium, ruining that space and the gymnasium, Wilmington Friends School needed new performing arts facilities delivered quickly and efficiently. Due to a previous partnership with Wilmington Friends, VMA was able to jump immediately into design and the project was completed two years post-fire.
The highlight of the new performing arts center is a 500-seat proscenium theater with balcony seating. This is supported by lighting catwalks, a full fly-loft, LED lighting system, and an exterior bridge connecting to an existing rehearsal space. In addition, a new day-lit entry connects the center to the gym, which is situated directly below the theater. This entry, reclaimed from a narrow exterior entry court, now provides a new “front door” to welcome the whole community to the school’s public functions. It includes a grand stair and multi-purpose meeting room. Lighting and acoustic treatments make the space inviting throughout the day.
Sustainability, which is an institutional priority, was an important driver in the school’s decision-making during the project. Despite the speed at which design and construction occurred, the collaboration merited LEED Gold Certification.
Awards
LEED Gold Certified
AIA Delaware Chapter, Design Merit Award (2014)
PROJECT DETAILS
Size: 27,099 sf (total project)
Budget: $8 million (total project)
SERVICES PROVIDED
Architecture, Interior Design, Sustainability










