Menlo School has opened a new, two-story 40,000 square foot facility for art, music, drama, photography and movie-making. The Creative Arts and Design Center, previously housed in the oldest buildings on campus, now features 14 creative arts teaching spaces.
The circulation spaces are designed to act as a showcase/gallery space for the work of students in the visual and performing arts. The ground floor features a central gallery, studio and a ceramics classroom. The building has three vaulted ceiling music rooms designed for superior acoustics with practice rooms and a vocal teaching studio.
The second floor offers a drama room, a digital design center, a yearbook/journalism room, a recording studio, open plan faculty office space, conference room and a photography studio, classroom and darkroom complex. A full basement provides space for set storage, mechanical systems, storage and a computer server room. The building also features a spacious outdoor studio/ceramics/teaching patio.
The opening is also a celebration of the completion of the Challenge Menlo: Investing in the Vision capital campaign. The campaign surpassed the $55 million goal and funded two key facilities, the Athletic Center (opened two years ago) and the new Creative Arts and Design Center. In addition, the campaign funded needed infrastructure improvements and added important dollars to Menlo’s endowment.