ABRAVANEL HALL MASTER PLAN + VISIONING

Sparano + Mooney Architecture was selected by Salt Lake County to undertake a review and validation of (and expansion to) the Abravanel Hall Master Plan for this architectural icon and monument to our city, state and region’s rich cultural heritage. The cultural, architectural and acoustic legacy of this distinctive facility to diverse user groups and patrons needed to be considered while also highlighting Abravanel Hall’s iconic presence and maintaining its renowned acoustics. We addressed three main areas of concern: assessing and meeting the current and predicted technical and programming requirements of diverse performances and events; modernizing and refining the patron experience through accessibility improvements and threshold of visitor engagement; and renovating and updating key facility systems.

We undertook a national tour of precedent projects as a means of better understanding the client’s aspirations for the renovation of Abravanel Hall, and we engaged in extensive outreach charrettes with user groups. Our team coordinated with the Salt Lake County Division of Arts + Culture and Facilities Management to review the input of key stakeholders (including Utah Symphony | Utah Opera).

Our report was published in Spring 2024 and included the full feasibility study, updated master plan and conceptual design iterations. For more details about the work Sparano + Mooney Architecture performed for the Abravanel Hall Master Plan + Visioning, please visit our recent blog post titled “Setting the Stage: Abravanel Hall Master Plan and Visioning by Sparano + Mooney Architecture” and for further insight into our firm’s experience with performing arts facility assessments, feasibility studies, programming, renovations and design, please refer to our article, “The (Performing) Arts of Concert Hall Planning + Design.”

Image credit: John Sparano, FAIA