Sandi Simon Center for Dance at Chapman University: A Historic Orange Packing House Transformed Into a Modern Dance Hub

The Sandi Simon Center for Dance at Chapman University stands as a remarkable example of adaptive reuse, transforming a historic 1918 orange packing house into a state-of-the-art dance and performance facility. Designed by the acclaimed Lorcan O’Herlihy Architects (LOHA), this expansive 72,000-square-foot center is not just a building—it’s a bold architectural gesture that celebrates both the past and the future of movement and creativity.

Revitalizing History Through Design Innovation

Originally serving as the headquarters of the Santiago Orange Growers Association, the heavy timber frame building is an enduring relic of California’s industrial past. The structure was later used by the Villa Park Orchards Association, continuing its agricultural legacy well into the late 20th century. In a bid to preserve its historical identity while reimagining its purpose, Chapman University acquired the building and entrusted LOHA with the transformation.

Rather than erasing the past, the design team embraced it. The building’s industrial vernacular style, landmarked by the National Register of Historic Places, is preserved through the original façade and exposed structural elements. Inside, the once-disjointed one-story layout is restructured into three dynamic levels, allowing light, movement, and interaction to define the space.

Design Highlights: A Space That Moves With Purpose

The center features:

• Five professional dance studios
• A performance studio for masterclasses and concerts
• Two academic classrooms
• Faculty offices, meeting areas, and social lounges
• A vibrant atrium and outdoor courtyard that serve as social and warm-up spaces

The new design includes a strategic cut through the existing floor, creating vertical transparency and natural circulation across all levels. North-facing clerestory windows, part of the original sawtooth roof, now flood the entire center with natural light—an intentional nod to the ephemeral beauty of dance.

Materiality and Movement: Architecture as Performance

To reflect the fluidity of dance, LOHA used polycarbonate materials for their translucency and reflective quality, enabling walls and openings to shimmer with movement and changing light. The design layers transparency to evoke the spirit of performance—an architecture that breathes with the rhythm of its inhabitants.

Historic timber trusses remain exposed and visible from all levels, creating a striking contrast between old and new. The original wood flooring was repurposed within the new structure, further grounding the contemporary design in its historic roots.

Mechanical systems were carefully integrated with automated operable clerestory windows, which regulate indoor climate naturally—honoring both sustainability and user comfort.

Empowering Community, Creativity, and Collaboration

More than a dance facility, the Sandi Simon Center is a social and educational epicenter. Its open layout encourages spontaneous interactions, interdisciplinary collaboration, and immersive learning experiences. Students flow from studio to classroom to common areas, creating a sense of unity and purpose in every movement.

The design fosters a holistic student experience, where creativity thrives in a space that’s equal parts performance, practice, and place-making.

A Model for Adaptive Reuse and Campus Transformation

The Sandi Simon Center for Dance is not only a cornerstone for Chapman University’s performing arts program—it’s a leading example of adaptive reuse in educational architecture. By respecting its agricultural-industrial history while introducing forward-thinking design strategies, LOHA has created a cultural landmark that enriches both the campus and the broader community.

All the photographs are works of Eric Staudenmaier