Guthrie Theater Project Profile

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Perched on the banks of the Mississippi River, the award-winning Guthrie Theater, a 250,000 square foot performing arts facility in Minneapolis, MN resides.

ERA was the structural engineer of record for the complex that houses three distinct performance spaces: an 1,100-seat Thrust Theater constructed with post-tensioned concrete and long-span roof trusses, a 700-seat Proscenium Theater utilizing steel raker beams and precast stadia with composite steel, and a 250-seat Black Box Theater. The facility’s most dramatic feature is the “Endless Bridge,” a 176-foot-long cantilevered lobby designed by architect Jean Nouvel. This remarkable structure, equivalent to a 25-story building laid horizontally, generates a 5-million-pound thrust reaction at its main support columns and requires an enormous ballast frame for stability. ERA’s innovative engineering addressed a multitude of architectural and structural challenges, combining multiple structural systems to realize this world-class theater complex that serves as both a performance venue and a vibrant public gathering space.

Location	Minneapolis, MN
Market	Fitness, Arts & Recreation
Year Completed	2006
Sq. Ft.	285,000
Seats	1,100
Team Collaboration	Owner/Developer: Guthrie Theater Architect: Alliance General Contractor: McGough Construction Mechanical & Electrical Engineer: Michaud Cooley Erickson Structural Engineer: ERA Structural Engineering
Awards	Best in Real Estate, MSB Business Journal 2003 Excellence in Ready Mix Concrete Use, Aggregate and Ready Mix Association of MN
Structural Systems	Post-Tensioned Concrete Composite Steel Steel Trusses Deep Foundations

Guthrie Theater

Contact

Location

Minneapolis, MN

Market

Fitness, Arts & Recreation

Year Completed

2006

Sq. Ft.

285,000

Seats

1,100

Team Collaboration

Awards

Structural Systems