The Studio Acting Conservatory is published in ArchitectureDC.

The Studio Acting Conservatory, completed in collaboration with Debra Booth and Jon Hensley Architects, was published in ArchitectureDC. LIRIO worked to transform the public entry courtyard with a series of strategic decisions: establish a paved court (like a stage) that welcomes performances, replace the existing brick stair with a livelier open steel stair, and design universal access. The existing 600 square feet space was broken into multiple shallow levels with many steps that made passage through the space treacherous and inaccessible. In the design of the new performance courtyard, the elevation of the court was lowered by a modest 14" to establish a consistent, level surface. This established an accessible connection to the public sidewalk at the south edge of the court that gives immediate access, at the side of the building, to an at-grade entrance. Low, seat-height, gray-pigmented concrete walls delineate the edges of the courtyard and are a constant invitation to linger with friends and neighbors.

The new black perforated steel stair replaced a massive brick and concrete stair -- a highly-debated and well-studied design team decision that was a significant portion of the project's site and landscape budget. The stairs are consistent with the raised porches and stoops common in the Columbia Heights neighborhood. Lastly, the iconic red facade was conceived by Studio Acting Conservatory Artistic Director, Debra Booth, whose expertise in theatre set design established the team's powerfully direct responses to the site and program of converting a church to an acting school.