Collage Dance

Collage Dance grew from a class in a church basement with one student into an internationally-touring professional company and conservatory that had outgrown their 3,000 sq ft space in a nearby arts district.

Committed to remaining part of the historically African-American neighborhood, a 2-acre site was selected at the intersection of two key priorities - providing high visibility and identity while being a cultural anchor for the Binghampton community.

The new state-of-the-art performing arts facility positions Collage Dance as that anchor energized by its mission to inspire the growth and diversity of ballet. The building is designed to promote community and open exchange, as well as a sense of joy and celebration, both outside and in.

The site and new facility establish greater connections with the surrounding community while cultivating a love of dance in thousands of students of all ages through mission-driven, multi-generational programs - all while evoking a sense of movement, creativity and openness to the neighborhood. The design intent was to achieve these objectives and create meaningful experiences through connected spatial relationships, represent the client’s mission and values with a supportive design language, and foster a collaboration with the owner and our firm-wide team to support multiple perspectives and experimentation. The site and new facility support their programming and goals for the next fifteen years and allow growth into the future beyond.

Awards:
AIA Education Facility Design Award of Excellence
AIA Tennessee Award of Excellence
AIA Memphis Award of Excellence