Dual Character Space

A place filled with drama and imaginations

The UMI-play Children’s Dramatic Arts Center is a playful and imaginative educational space for children to explore and grow within the performing arts. This 550sqm interior is composed of two distinct spaces and geometries, derivative of psychological studies and research, the dual areas are designed to encourage and support different behaviors and processes of learning and development. The primary space is comprised of a fluid and natural geometry, adaptable to various performance, expressive and improvisational activities. The second space, a series of 4 adaptable classrooms are driven towards focus and concentration. These spaces have a more orthogonal organization with gentle expressive moments within the design of details. The combination of the fluid performance space and the regular classrooms creates and center capable of accommodating the various modes of education involved in the performing arts.

The design of the custom furniture and detailing is meant to further enhance the adaptability of the space. These components are capable of playing various different roles within the space, the children and instructors can rearrange and transform the spaces to define different environments and sets.

The customized geometry was fabricated through the use of simple flat pack CNC milling processes. Creating a streamlined flow from the digital to the physical the installation and precision of the construction was coordinated through a singular set of novel drawings and techniques. The singular fabrication technique redeploys variant yet related geometries through the space creating a visible thread connecting the different programmatic spaces.