Steppenwolf Theatre Campus Expansion

Steppenwolf Theatre new campus expansion, the Liz and Eric Lefkofsky Arts and Education Center, is based on the concept of Collision: that interaction between the actor and the audience serves to establish dynamic and intimate spatial relationships throughout the project. The expansion introduces new connections between its patrons, neighborhood, and Chicago. Architecturally, the design is carefully stitched into its neighborhood context, recognizing the significance of its presence along Halsted Street, while respecting its neighbors. The expansion features an intimate 400-seat in-the-round theater that is the only one found in a major Chicago theater. At only six rows deep, the theater places the actor in an intimate relationship with the audience. No audience member is more than 20 feet from the stage, blurring the lines of actor/audience relationships. Key elements of the theatre include a modular staging system that allows for designers and directors to control the architecture, adjust the capacity, and explore different stage footprints for a variety of audience relationships. Accessibility was at the forefront of the design, including 20 fully integrated wheelchair accessible locations as well as an induction hearing loop and improved sight lines for performances featuring ASL Interpretation and Open Captioning. Steppenwolf’s first-ever dedicated education center, The Loft, encompasses the entire fourth floor of the new building and includes three dedicated learning spaces for young people to explore and create, as well as gallery walls that feature works by young visual artists selected via Steppenwolf’s Loft Teen Arts Project. The program also includes a dynamic lobby space, Steppenwolf’s costume shop, and other production amenities, as well as a wine bar and a sidewalk lounge, increasing the social gathering spaces where artists and audiences converge.