The founders of the Gorge Amphitheatre have appointed ZGF Architects to design The Grotto, an indoor concert hall proposed for a new cultural campus overlooking the Columbia River Gorge in Washington.
Concept design is underway for the venue, which is being developed by The Hilltop, a nonprofit organisation founded by Vince and Carol Bryan. The campus is planned next to the Gorge Amphitheatre in the Quincy area.
The Grotto is expected to seat between 1,000 and 1,200 people and accommodate theatre, lectures, chamber concerts, masterclasses, and multidisciplinary events. It will form part of a two-venue campus alongside The Terraces, a proposed 2,000-seat outdoor performance space.
A landscaped route called The Perch will connect the venues. Plans include geological interpretation, an outdoor patio, and a shared gathering area.
Concert hall design draws on Columbia River Gorge setting
The basalt cliffs and open skies of the Columbia River Gorge are informing the early design. The Hilltop wants the building to follow the site conditions rather than appearing as a separate structure placed upon it.
“We want the environment to be the structure for the architect to work with, not to impose a structure on it, but to look to the environment as it is, embracing the elements where they are, and allowing them to dictate the structure,” Vince Bryan said.
The auditorium is being designed to meet the acoustic demands of an indoor performance venue while retaining a connection to its natural setting.
ZGF Architects has been selected for the commission. Haruka Saito, a principal at the firm, said the practice would work with The Hilltop on the arts and cultural destination.
The Grotto sets environmental ambitions
The Hilltop wants The Grotto to become the most sustainable performance venue in the US. The organisation has identified energy and water use, material selection, and durability as areas of focus.
The Hilltop plans to use the wider campus for arts programming, science presentations, environmental education, talks, and community activities. Its inaugural SOAR Festival is scheduled for 22 August.
Images: Courtesy of ZGF Architects
