Rockport, MA – Rockport Music had a dream to build their own world-class performance center after years of renting facilities that fell short of their standards. Their new home, the Shalin Liu Performance Center, located on Main Street in Rockport, MA, exceeds those dreams. “The new Shalin Liu Performance Center here is one of the best public gathering spaces to appear in years in the Boston area” said Robert Campbell, Boston Globe correspondent in his review of the new venue. “There were a lot of tears when people first saw it,” said project architect, Alan Joslin of Epstein Joslin Architects, “tears of joy…”
The vision set forth by the board of trustees for the Rockport Chamber Music Festival included not only creating a jewel of a performance center with world-class acoustics designed by Lawrence Kirkegaard, but also a community resource that would increase business activity for the neighboring shops, galleries, restaurants and inns.
Building such a venue on a ledge-filled, oceanfront site presented challenging logistics, as the site is tightly sandwiched between other commercial storefront buildings in a popular tourist district. Consigli Construction Co. of Milford, MA needed to precisely coordinate all construction work to minimize the impact on occupied adjacent buildings, as well as the residents of the Town of Rockport.
As a result, construction was phased to cease during peak tourist seasons, including the summer months and Christmastime. In order to encourage tourists to visit the shops along the entire length of the street, during and after construction, Consigli worked with the community to create branding materials, including shopping district maps and lamppost banners.
Although the exterior mimics the original building per local planning, zoning and conservation boards, inside, the intimate 330-seat concert hall was completely transformed to integrate the harbor view with a dramatic, two-story glass curtain wall behind the stage. Exposed heavy timber framing self-performed by Consigli carpenters impart a cathedral-like setting for the sophisticated design of intricate woven millwork and stonework composite walls which reflect the elements of a seascape.
“The new Shalin Liu Performance Center will bring the type of clientele that fits well with Rockport as an artists’ community,” said Tom Burger, Chairman of the Board of Trustees for Rockport Music. “Consigli’s great accomplishment is not only the beauty of the finished building but the sound is so clear, full and vibrant, it’s incredible. Our entire building and design team created a strikingly beautiful place to showcase the Rockport Chamber Music Festival and we are delighted.”