Ruth Eckerd Hall’s new $12 million lobby

[Paul Ringstrom]

https://www.tampabay.com/arts-entertain ... ts-inside/

[SDR]

. . . because ?

[owenCollins]

Well patron expectations have evolved over the years, and a lot of performing arts venues have had to expand their front of house to meet those expectations. Expanding bar fare and having a small cabaret space are good moves for diversifying revenue. But a paparazzi mural? Oh god.

[Tom]

yucky

[SDR]

I couldn't get past the unfinished-looking signage. Perhaps it isn't finished ?

[DRN]

I visited the Eckerd about 15 years ago... at the time, an expansion was under way behind the stage house that provided rental space for events and some additional facilities for the back of house of the performance space. The new work was mostly relegated to an area of the building that was, by its nature, away from the signature elements of the original, and the composition held together rather well. Eckerd was more reserved in its budget and ornamentation than its purple sister in Sarasota by TAA and had a pleasant interaction with the trees that surrounded it.

This addition appears to be completely out of character with the language of Peters’ original design, and obliterates the original entry. I recognize arts venues such as this must grow and evolve to survive, but surely the architects of this expansion could have “riffed� with Wes rather than “drowning him out�.

A photo of the facility in its entirety is found here, scroll down:

https://www.rutheckerdhall.com/ruth-eckerd-hall

The original entry can be seen here:
https://www.awesomeclearwater.com/ruth-eckerd-hall.html

http://www.destination360.com/north-ame ... ckerd-hall

[Roderick Grant]

What a mess. As built, this was better than "The Purple Sister," but now!!