As Summer Approaches, the Construction of the New Arts Building Progresses With Acoustic and Terrazzo Elements in the Works
In the words of Big-D Construction Project Manager Spencer Stevens, “construction is never 100% smooth,” but even so, the on-site team, which includes BYU construction management student Nate Burdette, is making consistent headway on the building soon to be home to BYU arts for years to come.
Structural concrete for the building is complete; the west side has been framed, drywalled and painted; and drop ceilings are in progress. Preparations are underway for stone and woodwork installation on the walls of the main lobby and bathrooms are being tiled.
Paying homage to the terrazzo (a type of mosaic flooring made from pieces of granite or marble) stairs of the old Harris Fine Arts Center, the new arts building will also feature terrazzo in the form of sweeping benches and stairs. The building team is currently getting ready for the stone to be made.
The building’s multiple theatres are coming together as well. In the Mainstage Theatre, the concrete has been poured and the walls are being framed. High above the theatre floor, work on the ceiling, acoustical clouds and the grid are progressing. Drywall is being hung in the Black Box Theatre and framing has begun in both the Studio Theatre and new Movie Production Studio. Drywall is complete in the Cinema Theatre, and both ductwork and acoustical finishes are in progress.
For the past two years, BYU construction management student Nate Burdette has contributed to the construction process of the new building by working for Big-D Construction. The hands-on experience he is gaining through the project is allowing him to apply what he’s learned in classrooms on the very same campus. “The building is very big with a wide network and a variety of specialized trade partners with whom we coordinate to keep everything running smoothly,” said Burnett. “I have been able to greatly increase my skill set as a construction manager through problem solving and being surrounded by great examples and mentors — some of the professionals I work with have over 50 years of experience.”
The outside of the building is also taking shape — especially on the west side — as the brick veneer and glass gets installed on the outer walls. “Once we get the brick work done and the concrete panels on the wall, we’re going to clean up the area and start doing the landscaping and putting in the concrete. We are trying to give as much space as we can back to the campus by the end of the summer,” said Stevens. “It is starting to look like a finished building.”