LMN Architects is celebrating the near completion of its expansion and renovation of The Buxton Center for Bainbridge Performing Arts in Washington.

Located on Bainbridge Island, the new Buxton Center will create a stronger connection to the island by "reorienting its entry sequence to the axial plan of the island’s town square." The Center will have a wood and glass curtain wall that encloses a two-story lobby space. The lobby will serve as a way to immerse visitors within the surrounding woodland landscape. Adjacent to the center is a studio that will operate as a separate performance venue and will be the primary home of the Bainbridge Performing Arts Theatre School program.

“The original theater was a civic treasure for the island and a vital gathering space to celebrate the arts in the local community,” said LMN Architects Associate Erik Perka. “Throughout the design of the new building, our main goal was to preserve the intimacy of the theater while strengthening the connections with the public through a more transparent façade and expressive building form. With construction nearing completion, it is exciting for us to imagine all the performances and events that the new building will host in a familiar location.”

Render images show the center having a "dramatic wave-form roof" made of wood. The auditorium was completely redone with a reconfigured seating bowl along with sound and light locks for improved sightlines and better accessibility. It also includes new finishes and energy-efficient lighting, in addition to upgrades to the building's support spaces and building systems. 

Sustainability and homage to the island’s history and ecology were at the core of the design process. The project features natural tones and materials that reflect Bainbridge Island’s landscape and architectural history. The lobby ceiling and floors are decorated with wooden accents, which contrast the blackened steel fixtures and the red hues at the auditorium entrances. The Center will be completed with a custom-built bar and concessions area made by a local woodworker. The second level of the building will feature a small communal space that overlooks the studio and lobby. The new Buxton Center is targeting LEED Gold certification through a rooftop solar array, an expanded rain garden, and a more efficient HVAC system. 

“Located in the heart of the historic Winslow neighborhood, The Buxton Center expansion has been designed to celebrate the woodland setting and enhance a beloved community space,” added LMN Architects Principal Mark Tumiski. “Our stakeholders’ goal was to create a welcoming gathering space likened to a ‘family room’ that would establish a true home for the performing arts on Bainbridge Island. We are thrilled to see how the spaces are starting to feel both intimate and expansive, reaching out into Town Square and the surrounding landscape through the wood and glass lobby. We can’t wait to experience the building full of patrons and brimming with energy on Opening Night.”

The renewed Buxton Center forms a new cultural and civic center for Bainbridge Island. It aims to reinvigorate the local arts community after the challenges of the pandemic. The project broke ground in the fall of 2021 and is expected to be completed in the summer of 2023.