Gehry Partners has unveiled designs for the new Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles (YOLA) complex in Inglewood, California.
The 25,000-square-foot, $14.5 million adaptive reuse project will retrofit an existing former Security Pacific Bank branch office located at 101 South La Brea Avenue in the city’s civic center, transforming the complex from within by adding a new multi-functional auditorium, among other components. Plans call for creating a “light-filled, flexible facility” at the heart of the community in an effort to further expand YOLA’s footprint to this underserved area.
The facilities will include the aforementioned auditorium, which is designed to be subdivided into two multi-purpose rehearsal spaces and features retractable seating that will accommodate 190 guests. The space will also include a balcony area with capacity for an additional 70 seats.
The complex is set to include a variety of spaces for orchestra, sectional, chamber, and individual practices as well as a choir room, an ensemble room, and a small practice studio that will come outfitted with recording equipment. The building will also house offices and an open lounge space for parents and family members to use.
The acoustic envelope for the project is designed by Gehry and Yasuhisa Toyota, founder and president of Nagata Acoustics America.
The building is designed with a glass-walled light cannon that will that bring natural light into the performance spaces. A grand loggia space will front the building along its principal facade.
YOLA is an initiative of the Los Angeles Philharmonic that was started in 2007 by its director, Gustavo Dudamel. As a child, Dudamel, a native of Venezuela, participated in that country’s El Sistema youth orchestra, an activity the acclaimed conductor credits with exposing him to the world of music. The YOLA program similarly serves at-risk youth across the region’s working-class neighborhoods, providing a critical means of professional arts education.
Describing the proposal in a press release, Frank Gehry said: “It’s a privilege for me to work with Gustavo to create a place where students can feel comfortable, secure, and welcome as they learn to express themselves through music. We hope that the building will become a center for the community to gather to hear performances of all types. I designed the Center to be a world-class instrument for the community, and I can’t wait to see how they use it.”
YOLA expects to begin construction on the project in 2019 in the hopes of completing the project by 2020.
