ARCHITECTURE | ENGINEERING | CONSTRUCTION Photos courtesy of RMA Architectural Photography
Supporting the Arts at Irvine High School Supporting the arts and future performers is the goal for the recently completed Irvine (Calif.) High School Performing Arts Center, a cutting-edge facility designed to inspire creativity. The $35 million, 25,000-square-foot, single-story complex opened its doors to the community in February in time for the school’s 50th anniversary. The venue features a 650-seat main theater equipped with advanced sound, lighting and rigging systems, providing students and the community with a professional-grade performance experience for the school’s dance, choir and instrumental students. Additional spaces include a black box theater, scene shop, dressing rooms and a modern lobby, ensuring the facility supports a wide range of performances, rehearsals and events. Outdoor spaces also provide opportunities for perfoming and socializing. The steel and metal frame diaphragm building features a combination of metal panels, plaster and curtain wall system finishes. “We are honored to have worked on such a world-class performing arts center, which will serve as a beacon of creativity and collaboration for students throughout the district and the Irvine greater community,” said Ashcon Hekmat, project manager at C.W. Driver Companies, which completed the ground-up construction, which began in January 2023 and was completed in early 2025.
84 MANN REPORT | APRIL 2025
From the initial demolition and site preparation to the final finishes, the team prioritized quality and functionality, creating a space that elevates the arts and provides long-term value to the community. Additional services in the first phase included site utility relocations, grading and deep soil mixing columns/ground improvements. Phase Two consisted of building construction, site paving, concrete flatwork, utility systems and landscape planting/irrigation. “We have envisioned this facility for years, and it’s truly exciting to see it come to life,” said Kelvin Okino, executive director, facilities and construction, Irvine Unified School District. “Through the voters’ passage of Bond Measure E, we were able to construct a new stateof-the art Performing Arts Center. The success of the project is a testament to the incredible collaboration and partnership we’ve had with C.W. Driver Companies throughout this process. Together, we’ve created a space that will empower creativity and serve our community for generations to come.” The community celebrated the grand opening of the complex with performances by Irvine High School students, guided tours of the facility and remarks from school and community leaders. This project was a collaboration between C.W. Driver Companies and Ruhnau Clarke Architects.
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