South Asian Dance Studio
Studio Spring 2020 | Ryan Roark

The site is located in Atlanta, near Georgia State University. This project proposes a facility for teaching and performing South Asian dances, which is split into two buildings. The building including the main entrance is more public and the other is more private. These two parts are divided by a courtyard in the middle. Varying degrees of openings in the brick wall along the courtyard draw individuals inward—in some places only visually while in others physically—to the outdoor space that opens up to the pre-existing live oak tree on the site. The upper floors of the buildings are connected with a bridge that also creates a visual relationship between the two buildings and between the buildings and the outdoor space in the center. The overall form of the building, as well as its detailing, oscillates between a traditional brick building like those neighboring the site and a more fluid form echoing the dancers’ movements and garments.