Music Academy of the West – Main House

Santa Barbara, CA

Restoration & Student Services Addition 

The restoration of the Main House, originally constructed in 1909, included restoring existing doors, windows, hardware, light fixtures, and finishes; mechanical and electrical upgrades; accessibility and restroom upgrades. 19six worked extensively with the historian to ensure these upgrades were done while maintaining the historic character of the building.

The addition houses a performance space for the Master Class with modular stage and seating that can be configured to meet the needs of various types of performances. The building also accommodates practice and ensemble rooms, a music library, and a student lounge. Design continuity and balance were created by selecting exterior colors and materials that tie the new and existing buildings together while preserving their unique characteristics.

19six Architects & Tom Bollay Associates capitalized on an opportunity to create another social gathering space on campus by placing a courtyard in between the two buildings that encourages the mixing of students, faculty, alumni and staff in an informal setting.

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