One of the works of Beverly Willis that I really wanted to discuss was this ballet building that she designed. Right of the bat before even looking at the interior of this building you know it is going to encompass a lot of open rooms. For me structurally this is interesting because you can’t have supporting beams everywhere as the purpose of this building is for dance.

I really like the overall outward appearance of the building. To me especially for its time, it is appealing to the eye. I like the use of pillars and that it also incorporates three outdoor spaces. The columns make the building appear larger than it is. I also like the use of windows. I think especially for dance spaces that large windows are important and dancing within a space that encompasses large windows is much more enjoyable considering you have a view and access to natural light. The building when lit up at night has a blue tent to it, from the use of windows and the lighting used.

This building was completed in 1984. Beverly Willis took a lot of time visiting other studios and talking with dancers. She did this so she could truly understand the needs of the space so she could make a space that was adaptable and that could be used for years to come. She talked with the people that would be using this space and took what they said to create a building that fostered and promoted dance, while also creating a building that had fun features. This is also the first building that was constructed solely for the purpose and use of just dance. I think it is important to note the dedication and research that she put into this building and just how much she traveled to gain an understanding of what was needed from this building.

As you can see in the photo above the studio spaces that were built came with high ceilings and large windows. I think the use of and access of natural light and high ceilings really opened up the space, and the addition of the mirror makes the space feel bigger and also allows for better ventilation.

Overall, I find the interior and exterior of this building really cool. The fact that this was the first building constructed solely for a ballet company is really interesting, and I like the features such as metal paneling, large windows, glass doors, and columns on the outside.