The performing arts center is a legacy gift of Myrtle Woldson, one of Spokane’s leading patrons of the arts. Her bequest mandated the planning, design and construction of a new performing arts center with two public venues to accommodate theatre arts, musical performances and dance recitals. Also included in the bequest was the reconstruction of Miss Woldson’s living room, dining room and foyer and an interpretive center to share her vision and inspire future generations. The pedagogical goals for the center required that the facilities be designed at a professional level to give students a real-world experience in performance and production and provide the university and the Spokane community a new performing arts venue. The chosen site, on the western edge of campus, provides excellent access to services, facilitates patron arrival, and establishes an iconic new front door to that edge of the university. The overall design draws inspiration from the historic river architecture and natural landscape, which serve as a metaphor for its exterior and interior development. This includes Spokane’s history of development along the river, its dramatic rock falls, the beautiful natural landscape of eastern Washington, and the influence of water in the natural topography.