Urban Performing Arts

When studio J2 architects designed the Music Hall Loft – Center for Performing Arts, Literature, and Education in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, they were inspired by a quote by Goethe: “Music is liquid architecture, architecture is frozen music.” They based the design on the song “Blue in Green” by Miles Davis.

Called “modern, sleek, heaven” by the Portsmouth Herald, the Music Hall Loft contains a theatre for performances, film and classes, as well as a café, retail space and art gallery.

The space is “loft-like” as a counterpoint to the Music Hall’s existing historic theatre. It has been published in New Hampshire Magazine as well as receiving a Merit Award for Design Excellence for the American Institute of Architects.

The very tight budget and size constraints of the existing building posed a challenge for this gut renovation project. The existing concrete block and brick walls as well as concrete floor were left exposed, which in addition to saving money, served to enhance the “Loft-like” quality of the spaces. The theatre floor plan is angled to give the lobby a larger feeling as well as to help create a sense of movement. The lighting and colors enhance the “Blue in Green” atmosphere.

Signage by studio J2 architects
Photography by Rob Karosis