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Diamond Schmitt Architects unveil vision for Buddy Holly-inspired music and arts complex
POSTED 04 May 2016 . BY Kim Megson
The Buddy Holly Hall of Performing Arts and Sciences will be distinctive for its sloping rooftop and the adjacent light scupture Credit: Diamond Scmitt
Canadian practice Diamond Schmitt Architects have released design details for a new arts complex in Texas inspired by the legendary 1950s pop star Buddy Holly.

The Buddy Holly Hall of Performing Arts and Sciences will be located in the city of Lubbock, where the singer was born.

The multi-purpose centre will be a new home for rock concerts, operas, ballets and touring Broadway shows, as well as large-scale social and community events.

Inspired "by the spirit of West Texas," the building will have a sloping roofline. Diamond Schmitt have designed “swooping planes and cascading columns” to establish a strong visual identity and create a welcoming entrance. Overhangs on the south-facing façade, angled fins, and frit on the structure’s glazing will control heat gain.

An adjacent 200ft (61m) high telecommunications tower will be covered with a spiralling light sculpture visible from miles around, providing the hall with a beacon.

Facilities will include a 2,200-seat main theatre, an additional 400-seat theatre, a 22,000sq ft (2,000sq m) Dance Centre for Lubbock's ballet company, a bistro cafe and a large public lobby with a helical staircase which can be used throughout the day and is also flexible performance space.

“Our goal is to have this venue feel great for all types of performers and audiences – whether they are in jeans and hats or ball gowns,” said Matthew Lella, a principal at Diamond Schmitt.

To achieve this versatility, the floor of the main auditorium can have raked seating or be made flat for a standing audience – as seen in an exclusive CLAD rendering showing a rock concert taking place. Top-tier natural acoustics will make the main auditorium an ideal performing venue for large symphony orchestras.

“The aim for Lubbock is to create a performing arts centre as good acoustically, as welcoming to the public, and as attractive to performers to be among the best halls in North America,” said co-principal Jack Diamond.

The project is being developed by The Lubbock Entertainment and Performing Arts Association (LEPAA), which has raised US$81m (€70.5m, £56m) of its US$146m (€127m, £100m) fundraising target. The facility will be fully funded through private donations. A donor wall inside the centre will be made up of guitar picks to form an iconic image of Holly.

Construction is set to commence later this year with a projected opening in 2019. Diamond Schmitt are working with development team partners Garfield Public/Private, Parkhill, Smith & Cooper, MWM Architects, Hugo Reed & Associates, Jaffe Holden Acoustics, Schuler Shook and Lee Lewis Construction.

The Toronto-based studio are working on a number of other cultural and leisure projects around the world, including “an architectural rejuvenation” for Canada’s National Arts Centre (NAC) in Ottawa and a renovated concert hall for New York’s Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts with Thomas Heatherwick.

The multi-purpose centre will be a new home for rock concerts, operas, ballets and touring Broadway shows, as well as large-scale social and community events Credit: Diamond Scmitt
Seats can be removed to create a standing auditorium for rock concerts, as seen in this exclusive CLAD image Credit: Diamond Scmitt
The public lobby will be used throughout the day and will function as a flexible performance space Credit: Diamond Scmitt
The centre will be built in the city of Lubbock, Texas, where Buddy Holly was born Credit: Diamond Scmitt
The main auditorium will hold 2,200 people Credit: Diamond Scmitt
Buddy Holly, who died at only 22 years of age, remains one of the most iconic and influential figures in rock and roll history Credit: YouTube
RELATED STORIES
  Heatherwick Studio to lead US$500m redesign of New York concert hall


Following a two-year competition involving more than 100 leading architecture and design firms, Heatherwick Studio and Diamond Schmitt Architects have been selected to reimagine and renovate a concert hall for New York’s Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts.
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NEWS
Diamond Schmitt Architects unveil vision for Buddy Holly-inspired music and arts complex
POSTED 04 May 2016 . BY Kim Megson
The Buddy Holly Hall of Performing Arts and Sciences will be distinctive for its sloping rooftop and the adjacent light scupture Credit: Diamond Scmitt
Canadian practice Diamond Schmitt Architects have released design details for a new arts complex in Texas inspired by the legendary 1950s pop star Buddy Holly.

The Buddy Holly Hall of Performing Arts and Sciences will be located in the city of Lubbock, where the singer was born.

The multi-purpose centre will be a new home for rock concerts, operas, ballets and touring Broadway shows, as well as large-scale social and community events.

Inspired "by the spirit of West Texas," the building will have a sloping roofline. Diamond Schmitt have designed “swooping planes and cascading columns” to establish a strong visual identity and create a welcoming entrance. Overhangs on the south-facing façade, angled fins, and frit on the structure’s glazing will control heat gain.

An adjacent 200ft (61m) high telecommunications tower will be covered with a spiralling light sculpture visible from miles around, providing the hall with a beacon.

Facilities will include a 2,200-seat main theatre, an additional 400-seat theatre, a 22,000sq ft (2,000sq m) Dance Centre for Lubbock's ballet company, a bistro cafe and a large public lobby with a helical staircase which can be used throughout the day and is also flexible performance space.

“Our goal is to have this venue feel great for all types of performers and audiences – whether they are in jeans and hats or ball gowns,” said Matthew Lella, a principal at Diamond Schmitt.

To achieve this versatility, the floor of the main auditorium can have raked seating or be made flat for a standing audience – as seen in an exclusive CLAD rendering showing a rock concert taking place. Top-tier natural acoustics will make the main auditorium an ideal performing venue for large symphony orchestras.

“The aim for Lubbock is to create a performing arts centre as good acoustically, as welcoming to the public, and as attractive to performers to be among the best halls in North America,” said co-principal Jack Diamond.

The project is being developed by The Lubbock Entertainment and Performing Arts Association (LEPAA), which has raised US$81m (€70.5m, £56m) of its US$146m (€127m, £100m) fundraising target. The facility will be fully funded through private donations. A donor wall inside the centre will be made up of guitar picks to form an iconic image of Holly.

Construction is set to commence later this year with a projected opening in 2019. Diamond Schmitt are working with development team partners Garfield Public/Private, Parkhill, Smith & Cooper, MWM Architects, Hugo Reed & Associates, Jaffe Holden Acoustics, Schuler Shook and Lee Lewis Construction.

The Toronto-based studio are working on a number of other cultural and leisure projects around the world, including “an architectural rejuvenation” for Canada’s National Arts Centre (NAC) in Ottawa and a renovated concert hall for New York’s Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts with Thomas Heatherwick.

The multi-purpose centre will be a new home for rock concerts, operas, ballets and touring Broadway shows, as well as large-scale social and community events Credit: Diamond Scmitt
Seats can be removed to create a standing auditorium for rock concerts, as seen in this exclusive CLAD image Credit: Diamond Scmitt
The public lobby will be used throughout the day and will function as a flexible performance space Credit: Diamond Scmitt
The centre will be built in the city of Lubbock, Texas, where Buddy Holly was born Credit: Diamond Scmitt
The main auditorium will hold 2,200 people Credit: Diamond Scmitt
Buddy Holly, who died at only 22 years of age, remains one of the most iconic and influential figures in rock and roll history Credit: YouTube
RELATED STORIES
Heatherwick Studio to lead US$500m redesign of New York concert hall


Following a two-year competition involving more than 100 leading architecture and design firms, Heatherwick Studio and Diamond Schmitt Architects have been selected to reimagine and renovate a concert hall for New York’s Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts.
MORE NEWS
Warner Bros Discovery collaborates on upcoming Pompeii attraction
A new immersive attraction designed to transport visitors into the final hours of ancient Pompeii is preparing to open near the world-famous archaeological site in southern Italy.
Bob Rogers hands BRC to long-serving leadership team
Experience design company, BRC Imagination Arts, has completed a transition that sees founder Bob Rogers pass ownership of the business to four long-serving senior executives, while remaining actively involved with the company.
Rainer Maelzer joins Therme Group as chief entertainment officer
Rainer Maelzer, an experiential entertainment innovator, has been appointed chief entertainment officer by Therme Group.
Movie Park Germany reveals new Paramount attraction as part of its 30th anniversary celebrations
Movie Park Germany has opened a new Paramount Pictures-themed attraction as part of its 30th anniversary celebrations, using immersive storytelling and adaptive reuse to reinforce the park’s longstanding “Hollywood in Germany” positioning.
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COMPANY PROFILES
Alterface

Alterface’s Creative Division team is seasoned in concept and ride development, as well as storyte [more...]
Painting With Light

By combining lighting, video, scenic and architectural elements, sound and special effects we tell s [more...]
IAAPA EMEA

IAAPA Expo Europe was established in 2006 and has grown to the largest international conference and [more...]
Simworx Ltd

The company was initially established in 1997. Terry Monkton and Andrew Roberts are the key stakeh [more...]
+ More profiles  
FEATURED SUPPLIER

Iconic Liverpool attraction opens door to new operators
An opportunity to reimagine one of the UK’s most recognisable towers has been formally opened by Rivington Hark, as St Johns Beacon invites operators and partners to shape its next phase. [more...]
CATALOGUE GALLERY
+ More catalogues  
DIRECTORY
+ More directory  
DIARY

 

09-11 Jun 2026

World Sauna Forum 2026

Savutuvan Apaja, Haapaniemi, Finland
23-26 Aug 2026

Elevate Spa Riviera Maya Edition

The Riviera Maya Edition Kanai, Playa del Carmen, Mexico
+ More diary  
 


ADVERTISE . CONTACT US

Leisure Media
Tel: +44 (0)1462 431385

©Cybertrek 2026

ABOUT LEISURE MEDIA
LEISURE MEDIA MAGAZINES
LEISURE MEDIA HANDBOOKS
LEISURE MEDIA WEBSITES
LEISURE MEDIA PRODUCT SEARCH
ATTRACTIONS MANAGEMENT NEWS
ATTRACTIONS HANDBOOK
PRINT SUBSCRIPTIONS
FREE DIGITAL SUBSCRIPTIONS