A newly confirmed opening date gives editors a timely milestone for a major downtown Los Angeles cultural project, with an in-the-round concert hall and expanded dance facilities designed to serve both Colburn and the wider performing-arts community.
Colburn School campus expansion, adjacent to the existing campus near Grand Avenue, Downtown Los Angeles, California, United States
About this story
On October 6, 2026, Colburn School announced that its 100,000-square-foot campus expansion, designed by Frank Gehry, will open with a gala concert on September 25, 2027. The opening weekend is to include a September 26 community celebration with a ribbon cutting, free performances, inaugural Dance Center performances and an evening concert. The project includes the 1,000-seat, in-the-round Terri and Jerry Kohl Hall; a Dance Center with four professional-sized studios and a 100-seat studio theater; and street-level and rooftop garden spaces. The hall is planned as the permanent home of the Colburn Orchestra and a venue for resident organizations and rental clients. The Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra is also announced as a resident organization beginning in the 2027–28 season. Gehry Partners led the design; the project team includes Nagata Acoustics, TheatreDNA, Sonitus and OLIN. The exterior’s custom luminescent pink fluoropolymer finish, called Pink Kandi, was developed by Gehry Partners with Sherwin-Williams’ coil-coating division. The official announcement describes a composition of interlocking transparent and opaque volumes, a light-filled entrance, gardens, and adjustable acoustic elements above the hall stage. Frank Gehry is credited as the project’s designer; Colburn’s announcement quotes Gehry Partners partner Meaghan Lloyd.
Status and timeline
Construction is underway; substantial completion is expected in summer 2027. The Dance Center is scheduled to open with the 2027–28 academic year in August 2027. A gala concert in Terri and Jerry Kohl Hall is announced for September 25, 2027, followed by a public celebration and inaugural performances on September 26 and a week-long opening festival.
Design highlights
An intimate in-the-round concert hall with natural light and adjustable cloud-like acoustic elements; interlocking transparent and opaque building volumes; a light-filled entrance; gardens at street and rooftop level; and a custom Pink Kandi metallic coating. The Dance Center substantially expands the school’s dance teaching, rehearsal and performance capacity.
