Hillside Auditorium

The new Hillside Auditorium is sited on the University of Arkansas’s campus between the historic Chi Omega Greek Theater and the Ferritor Hall and Science/Engineering buildings, facing Dickson Street. Intended to recede into the landscape, the building employs planted green roofs, which allow the continuation of the natural topography across the site and maintains the prominence of the Greek Theater at the top of the hill. Along with the vegetated roofs, an efficient exterior envelope, and high-efficiency building systems, Hillside Auditorium will meet or exceed established energy use standards and continue the University’s sustainability efforts. This new auditorium building replaced the aging Science and Engineering Auditorium and responds to the University’s current need for large-capacity classroom spaces. There are two auditoria in the building - one of mostly fixed seating for 455 persons with 32 loose seats, and a second of fixed seating for 290 persons. The building was designed to accommodate modest theatrical, spoken word, and musical performances and helps fill a niche not met by existing performance spaces found on campus.  Intended to be the most visible portion of the building, an entrance and event pavilion, enclosed on three sides by high-efficiency glazing, is located on the uppermost-vegetated roof.   The pavilion, which incorporates a catering kitchen, ample public seating, and gathering space, allows for expanded uses of the building and exterior spaces for special events. Entrances to the building at multiple levels and easy access across and through the site provide a connection between both Dickson Street and the nearby parking deck to the heart of campus.  Allison teamed with Perry Dean Rogers Partners Architects on the project.

Read more about Hillside Auditorium on our blog.