Corning Corporation commissioned architects Smith-Miller Hawkinson design the new Corning Glass Center. The architects turned to FDA for help planning, designing and equipping the museum’s theatre.

The project’s first phase included transforming the former multi-purpose performance space at the Glass Center into a 770-seat performing arts facility.

The Museum sought a versatile venue in which to hold performances, fund-raisers and a wide range of special events, lectures, and recitals. To provide this flexibility, FDA designed a room with a series of retractable seats and lifts, creating a space that transforms from a concert hall into a 600-seat banquet hall.

Winner: 1998 Honor Award, U.S. Institute of Theatre Technology