The Doudna Fine Arts Center will be a representation of the creativity it houses when the building is completed next fall.

A theme of copper and glass will coat the outside as well as spread through the 269,380 square-feet of the building.

“One of the things I’ve said all along is that this building is a work of art,” said Eastern President Hencken in his hardhat as he toured the building Monday morning.

Architect Antoine Predock who designed the building won the 2006 American Institute of Architects Gold Medal for his work, including that of the fine arts center.

“The way that we’re using light and glass is very unique in this building,” said Jim Johnson, dean of the College of Arts and Humanities.

The glass design element is so dominant that one portion of the building has been identified as “the red zone” in building plans for the red glass that will be used to cover two slanting walls extending 40 feet from top to bottom.

In another portion of the second level of the building, the design allows a view through a glass wall and into the concourse with walls of different types of glass that extends through the building.

“I don’t think you can probably find anything else in the immediate area that is equal to (this building),” Johnson said.

The theater department will include three performance areas, one incased in black glass representing the theater term “black box.”

The other two performance areas are a movement studio and a main stage that will seat 250 to 275 people. There are also performance courtyards incorporated into the plan.

But that’s not all.

Move to the music wing of the building where there are two performance halls and multiple rehearsal halls.

“Now that we have different venues, it’ll give us a lot more flexibility in what we plan and what we do,” Hencken said.

The university plans to have both Eastern students and outside performers use the building for shows and concerts.

Besides the surplus of space, the building will also include state-of-the-art technology. The rehearsal hall will include recording technology and acoustic designs to contain all sound within the room.

Monday, workers began a project to lift part of a concrete floor two-inches to improve acoustics.

“It’s generated a lot of interest,” said Rex Hilligoss, project manager.

The building will also house most of the film academia at Eastern, which could include a new film studies minor.

“Every student will probably have a class in here,” Hencken said, because the building will house many general education courses.

Currently the construction should be complete around next November, with classes being offered in the spring semester, Hencken said.

While a lot of the building is already enclosed, not all of it will be by winter.

“The more that they can get enclosed, the better they’re going to be,” Hencken said.

On an average day, there are probably 80 to 100 people working on the building, said Steve Shrake, Eastern’s design and construction manager. The number could increase as the building progresses.

While everyone is looking forward to the completion of the building, there’s still one issue the university will be worrying about: power bills.

“When we make our budget presentation next year to the (Illinois) board of higher education, we will take pictures of this building,” Hencken said. The size means electric and maintenance expenses will be high.

While the building is big, Jeffrey Lynch, associate dean of the College of Arts and Humanities doesn’t think it will be hard to navigate.

“I don’t think anybody will get lost, but I do think they will want to wander,” Lynch said. “It will clearly be the finest fine arts center in the state of Illinois.”

Lionel Sanders, a construction manager, stands on what will be the proscinium stage in Doudna fine arts center on Monday afternoon. (Jay Grabiec/The Daily Eastern News)

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