Carved out of the foundation of an historic Itasca warehouse along the Mississippi River in the 1980s, the Luminary Arts Center is an 8,000-square-foot creative space used as a “laboratory” for experimental and unique works put on by the Minnesota Opera. The theater is located in Minneapolis’ North Loop neighborhood, just 13 miles from Sightline Commercial Solutions’ main campus.
Collaborating with their longtime partners at Schuler Shook, the Sightline team custom-designed and installed an eight-level, state-of-the-art seating riser that comfortably accommodates nearly 250 people. The modular system is highly adaptable to match the look and feel of the space, giving the venue the flexibility to configure different seating arrangements depending on the performance while ensuring an enhanced viewing experience every time. To achieve a clean aesthetic, the owners sought a completely free-standing structure void of wall or floor anchors.
To execute this vision, they installed closure panels to prevent chairs from sliding off the rear of the platforms and secured custom brackets to the understructure’s Relia beams and cross bracings for added stability. Decorative skirting conceals the supports upholding the riser for a refined, finished appearance.
The team also fabricated handrail and stair units integrated with aisle lighting to safely guide guests to and from their seats. The Luminary Arts Center values the qualities of creativity, honesty and ingenuity, and Sightline infused these characteristics in its work for this beloved hometown landmark.
