The net-zero Performing Arts Center (PAC) for Milpitas High School will go beyond traditional school theaters to serve multiple roles on campus, providing a new cultural amenity for the sprawling suburban community.
The PAC is designed around the district’s mission to prepare students to be “passionate about life and learning.” The new 37,000-square-foot facility includes a 550-seat theater with a full fly and orchestra pit; dressing rooms; band, choral and orchestra rooms; and a scene shop. The building’s bifurcated form is a response to both context and program. Two wings, one for practice and one for performance, are designed around the black box theater, which doubles as classroom space, serving both sides of the complex. The practice wing is rotated toward the campus, while the performance wing is oriented and rotated toward the street and the community.
To encourage attendance and participation, a large glass lobby opens to the adjacent parkway, a prominent community thoroughfare. High-efficiency HVAC systems and a cool roof help lower the energy load; solar arrays in an adjacent park helped offset electricity requirements. The landscape features low-water-use native plants, and 100% of stormwater is treated on site.
