The existing building that Neri&Hu was commissioned to renovate occupies the site of a former theater from the 1930s. From the street, the building reads as a heavy volume hovering just above ground level. Encased entirely in stone, the upper two floors relinquish any outwardly openings in favor of vertically carved apertures. Drawing inspiration from theatrics, the carved spaces of the interior and exterior atriums were conceptualized as series of dramatic scenes — scenes of varying spatial and lighting configurations are experienced as one moves throughout the space, intensifying as one explores deeper into the building.

To guide theatergoers into the building, fluted bronze walls — like theater curtains — cloak the drama of the main stage behind it. The entry and ticketing area are recessed back from the pedestrian walkway in order to create a covered plaza, an extension of the street, blurring the boundaries of public and private.