Music facility planned for Northwestern University

Northwestern University is planning a new building for the Henry and Leigh Bienen School of Music on its Evanston campus. Envisioned as a signature building for the university, the new facility will enable the Bienen School of Music to consolidate all of its programs in one area for the first time in more than 30 years. The building will include classrooms, teaching labs, academic faculty offices, teaching studios for choral, opera, piano and voice faculty, practice rooms, student lounges and administrative offices. There also will be a choral rehearsal room and library, an opera rehearsal room/black box theater and a 400-seat recital hall. The project will be designed to achieve, at minimum, a LEED Silver certification. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2010, with completion expected in spring 2012. The architect is Goettsch Partners.