Buddy Holly Hall of Performing Arts and Sciences recently broke ground in Lubbock, Texas, the hometown of the 1950s pop icon Buddy Holly.

The 218,000-square-foot performing arts centre, designed by Toronto-based Diamond Schmitt Architects, features the 2,200-seat Helen DeVitt Jones Theatre; a 425-seat studio theatre; a grand hall; a bistro; and the 22,000-square-foot home to Ballet Lubbock with five dance studios. The Christine DeVitt Lobby will serve as a gathering point and community asset.

The venue will be able to serve many purposes, from opera, Broadway shows and symphonic music, to rock concerts, conferences and social events.

“To achieve this versatility, the floor of the auditorium can have raked seating or be flat for a standing audience, either below or in line with the stage,” said Matthew Lella, principal at Diamond Schmitt, in a press release.

The central volume of the venue conceals the fly tower and is framed by a roofline of angled planes with cascading columns that create a strong visual identity and a welcoming entrance. A replica of a 200-foot telecommunications tower will serve as a light sculpture and act as a beacon for the performing arts centre.

The Lubbock Entertainment and Performing Arts Association (LEPAA) is developing the privately-funded, $155-million project, which will also serve as a learning centre for the Lubbock Independent School District.

“Buddy Holly Hall will be a beacon for progress and downtown revitalization for Lubbock and the South Plains,” said Tim Collins, chairman of LEPAA. “The venue is a hub that brings together people of all ages to experience world-class art in a world-class facility.”

Diamond Schmitt is working with development team partners Garfield Public/Private, LLC, Parkhill, Smith & Cooper, MWM Architects, Hugo Reed & Associates, Jaffe Holden Acoustics, Schuler Shook, and Lee Lewis Construction on this project.

Buddy Holly Hall of Performing Arts and Sciences is on track to open its doors in 2020.