Pioneer Center for the Performing Arts facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Pioneer Theater Auditorium
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 Location in Nevada
Location in the United States
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| Location | 100 S. Virginia St., Reno, Nevada |
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| Built | 1967 |
| Architect | Bozalis, Dickinson and Roloff; TEMCOR |
| Architectural style | Modern Movement, Geodesic Dome |
| NRHP reference No. | 04001528 |
| Added to NRHP | January 19, 2005 |
The Pioneer Center for the Performing Arts is a special building in Reno, Nevada. It's a place where you can watch live shows and performances. It used to be called the Pioneer Theater Auditorium.
This building has a very unique look. It was designed by architects from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. They made it out of concrete with a shiny gold roof. This roof is shaped like a giant dome.
About the Pioneer Center
The Pioneer Center was finished in 1967. It has many seats for people to watch shows. There are 987 seats on the main floor. Another 513 seats are in the balcony. This means 1,500 people can enjoy a show at one time!
The company that built the dome was called Temcor. One of its founders, Don Richter, studied with Buckminster Fuller. Fuller was famous for inventing the geodesic dome. Temcor had already built many gold-colored domes. They have built over 5,000 dome projects in total.
Its Unique Design
The Pioneer Center's dome is very special. People sometimes called it the "Golden Turtle" because of its shape and color. The dome is made of 500 aluminum panels. These panels are supported by a steel frame inside. This frame rests on strong concrete arches.
The main seating area of the theater is actually below ground. This design makes the roof look like it almost touches the ground at the corners. The people who planned the building really liked a similar dome theater in Fort Worth, Texas. That's why they chose this cool dome design for Reno.
A Bit of History
The building was almost named the Apollo Theater. But it ended up being called the Pioneer. This name came from a statue made in 1939. The statue showed a pioneer family. It was saved from an old building that was torn down to build the theater.
In 2005, the Pioneer Center was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's an important historical building. It is recognized for its unique design and history.
See also
In Spanish: Centro para las Artes Escénicas Pioneer para niños
- Gold Dome, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, also a famous dome building
