The Construction of the Kauffman Center

On October 6, 2006 the board breaks ground for the Kauffman Center on the 13-acre lot.

The north exterior shell takes form before the walls are to be filled with precast acid-etched concrete.

Construction of Muriel Kauffman Theatre ceiling with a view of the catwalks above the stage.

The sides of the stainless steel shell are in the early stages of being covered with acid-etched limestone-colored precast concrete walls.

Workers install bead-blasted stainless steel onto the south slope of the roof.

1,530 stainless steel panels are being installed to cover the outer shell of Muriel Kauffman Theatre.

Workers start to install the glass panels above Brandmeyer Great Hall where steel colums and tension support cables support the outer structure of the lobby.

686 glass roof panels are being installed above Brandmeyer Great Hall.

Workers manage the change in the pitch of the roof, which ranges from 15 degrees to approximately 40-45 degrees.

The construction of the box seats and balconies in Muriel Kauffman Theatre commences.

Architect Moshe Safdie designed the exterior of Brandmeyer Great Hall with music in mind. The outside steel rods remind Safdie of a violin or cello, while the cables are the strings of an instrument.

Construction workers install the framework for the stainless steel panels which will be placed on the outer shell of Muriel Kauffman Theatre.

A view from the Muriel Kauffman Theatre stage of the extensive catwalks and layered balconies.

One of the many murals throughout Muriel Kauffman Theatre. The murals were designed and hand-painted by Kansas City Art Institute students under the direction of Moshe Safdie.

Workers repel off of the bead-blasted stainless steel while installing the panels.

A glass panel hangs in the air while a worker prepares to install it on the southwest side of Brandmeyer Great Hall.

Workers are installing some of the final glass panels in Brandmeyer Great Hall.

Construction workers stand on the edge of the Kauffman Center's glass roof.

The Muriel Kauffman Theatre stage features two Gala Spiralifts which can transform the stage from a flat floor into an orchestra pit configuration.

The construction of stage risers takes place in Helzberg Hall. Six Gala riser lifts will be put in place which will form three half-ring risers, which are optimal for orchestra or choir configurations.

The Kauffman Center contains 40,000 square feet of glass.

The view of Brandmeyer Great Hall from the 7th floor balcony near Muriel Kauffman Theatre.

The Gala riser lifts on the Helzberg Hall stage will help enhance the acoustics of the space.

Three linear miles of caulking was used to keep all of the glass panels in place in Brandmeyer Great Hall. That's enough to stretch from the Kauffman Center to the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art.

The setting sun reflects on the glass on the south side of the Kauffman Center.

Construction workers continue working in Helzberg Hall near stage right.

Fallen snow drifts atop the outer shell of the Kauffman Center.

An aerial view of the Kauffman Center showcases the completed installation of bead-blasted stainless steel.

Brandmeyer Great Hall and the Plaza Lobby feature embedded radiant floor heating and cooling systems.

The finishing touches are being made to each section in Helzberg Hall.

Seating and air vents are being installed and the sound cockpit lift can be seen in back of the Orchestra section. This lift can transform from seating into a sound mixing location in five minutes.

The LED-lit mylar located on the balustrades was crumpled by one woman in order to create uniformity across the theatre.

There are 70 counterweight line sets located on the Muriel Kauffman Theatre stage which can lift up to 2,000 pounds each.

The Kansas City Symphony has begun their first rehearsals on the Helzberg Hall stage.

A new meadow of switchgrass can be seen to the east of the Kauffman Center. Plant life around the Kauffman Center includes rose bushes, ivy, and several species of trees.

The mylar coverings are now being painted with a gold finish. The mylar will assist with the acoustics of the theatre.

The Julia Irene Kauffman Casavant Organ, Opus 3875 is in the early stages of being built. It was built by Casavant Frères in Saint-Hyacinthe, Ontario, Canada.

Construction is now complete and the Kauffman Center is ready to enrich the lives of everyone in our community through extraordinary and diverse performing arts experiences.