The only remnant of the Yost-Kenssenich department store in Madison, Wis., is its historic stone façade, which will be the face of Madison's Overture Center for the Arts, scheduled to open in 2005. The 400,000-sq.-ft. facility will span a whole city block, featuring a 28-ft.-tall rotunda topped with a glass dome. The building will include at least four theatres, including the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art, and the Wisconsin Academy of the Arts Gallery.
In connection with the construction, the University of Wisconsin-Madison is offering a class this semester entitled "Overture: The Art and Design of a Cultural Arts Center," to give students hands-on examples of how design and construction come together. During the 12-week course, students will tour the work site and hear presentations from design team members, including design architect Cesar Pelli & Associates.
