Toronto, ON
Award Category: RAIC Architectural Journalism and Media Award
At its best, architecture, a collection of elements, shapes and intensifies the process and experience of performance. Rather than showcase buildings as whole entities, Set Pieces provides detailed visual explorations of design moments from projects by Diamond Schmitt for some of the world’s most remarkable performing arts buildings. Showcasing fragments and design moments that make up these spaces, and which contribute to a great place of performance, Set Pieces offers an immersive study of 15 design elements that enhance and transform the perception of performance—and evoke experiences that surpass visual understanding.
Set Pieces investigates the design alchemy that makes performing arts spaces live and breathe, accommodating audiences, communities, as well as the delicate balance of light, sound, and function needed to support performing artists and their visions. The book highlights the intent behind these elements not only as technical architectural features, but also as elements designed to stimulate creativity and give rise to artistic greatness.
Complementing this deep dive into the unique typology of the performing arts from various angles, are words and essays by architects and leading critics, including New York Magazine’s Justin Davidson on ‘Why Concert Halls Still Matter’ and The Nation’s Kate Wagner on acoustics, as well as an interview with acclaimed set designer Mimi Lien on her approach to theatrical design.
Contributors:
Don Schmitt, Diamond Schmitt
Matthew Lella, Diamond Schmitt
Gary McCluskie, Diamond Schmitt
Justin Davidson, Music & Architecture Critic for New York Magazine and Curbed
Kate Wagner, Architecture Critic for The Nation & Journalist
Robert Lepage, Playwright, Actor and Director
Mimi Lien, Set Designer
Robert Gerard Pietrusko, Designer & Composer, Associated Professor at University of Pennsylvania
Credits:
Paddy Harrington (concept, Frontier)
Jennifer Sigler (concept and executive editor)
Brian Sholis (executive editor, Frontier)
Javier Zeller (managing editor, Diamond Schmitt)
Cristian Ordoñez (Graphic Design for Frontier)
JURY COMMENT(S)
Set Pieces is a beautifully crafted exploration of performance space architecture that bridges technical expertise with human experience. Through clear language and compelling imagery, it engages both architects and the public. Particularly relevant post-pandemic, it offers valuable insights into the cultural role of performance spaces while sharing practical design solutions. The thoughtful integration of sensory elements, geometry, and materiality creates an illuminating resource.