The Mesa Arts Center is the largest arts complex in the desert Southwest, and a catalyst for urban redevelopment and community pride. The Center encompasses four theaters, an arts education facility with 12 studios, and a contemporary art museum all clustered around a dramatic landscaped oasis to create a diverse, comprehensive cultural complex.

Our design aimed to create something vibrant and unexpected, forging a new identity for the city and a place for community gathering. We drew inspiration from the color palette of the desert flora and geology, creating a rich three-dimensional landscape for exploration. At the center of the site, the cool water of a metaphorical arroyo tempers the climate.

To enliven the surrounding streets, we placed active, vital spaces like the art gallery and education studios at the perimeter to engage the public. The theaters sit at the center of the site, drawing patrons into the heart of the complex, with entries marked by bright tensile fabric canopies.

The 1,600-seat main performance hall hosts local arts groups and accommodates touring productions, supporting everything from symphonic orchestra to Broadway musicals, dance, film and lectures. In a unique municipal and academic partnership, the arts education studios are jointly shared by the City of Mesa and the local community college.

Sustainable strategies, such as locating the museum below-grade to shelter its contents and using thick walls and solar shading, were integral to the Center’s signature design. Festivals and events activate the site, allowing the arts to emerge from the interior and fill the landscape with vibrant energy.