Steppenwolf Theatre Company, the nation’s premier ensemble theater company, opened today its trailblazing new 50,000 square foot theater building and education center, the Liz and Eric Lefkofsky Arts and Education Center. Designed by world-renowned architect Gordon Gill FAIAof Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture, with theater design and acoustics by Charcoalblue and construction by Norcon,the expanded Steppenwolf campus is a cultural nexus for Chicago—offering bold and ambitious opportunities for creative expression, social exchange, unparalleled accessibility, and arts-driven learning for Chicago youth in The Loft, Steppenwolf’s first-ever dedicated education space. The expanded Steppenwolf campus also features bright new lobbies and two new full-service bars for socializing designed by fc STUDIO, inc.
Opening to the public this month as in-person performances return to Steppenwolf, the Liz and Eric Lefkofsky Arts and Education Center is the largest new permanent cultural asset to open in the City of Chicago in 2021. The $54 million new building is part of Steppenwolf’s multi-phase $73 million Building on Excellence expansion campaign.
“What an extraordinary day this is for our company and Chicago. This multi-phase campus expansion is over two decades in the making and is a manifestation of Steppenwolf’s core values of ensemble, innovation and cultural citizenship. Formed by an ensemble of young actors who wanted to create courageous work, nearly 50 years later our expanded campus builds on the company’s infamous beginnings and ensures a future for the continued artistic growth of the ensemble and space for tens of thousands of Chicagoland teens to experience transformative arts education. We are investing in this expansion of our artistic home in Chicago to serve our extraordinary city and support the work of generative and diverse theater artists for generations to come,” shares Executive Director E. Brooke Flanagan.
World-renowned architect Gordon Gill FAIA of Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture has been deeply involved in the project since 2007 and a true advocate and visionary in the building’s evolution. “Working with Steppenwolf has been a special experience—their clear intention of accessibility for all has transformed the space. Architecturally the design fits within the character of the neighborhood, while embodying the personality of this singular company: inviting, intimate, and rugged. The concrete honors the founders, their strength and the original foundation they built while the complementary warm wood tones and splashes of color celebrate the newer ensemble members and next chapter,” shares architect Gordon Gill FAIA.
“It’s rare to find a group of people who are so invested in not just the function of the building, but the emotional life and equity of the space. One of my proudest moments in the design is that arguably the most primary space is given to the students, which speaks volumes to the company, its ideals and its future,” adds Gill.
