The new Stuart Weitzman Theatre is a transformative addition to the Annenberg Center for Performing Arts (ACPA), creating a highly flexible rehearsal, performance, teaching, and event space while establishing a new public presence on Annenberg Plaza. As the marquee project of the first phase of the Center’s long-term renewal, the approximately 3,000-square-foot venue will accommodate more than 200 guests and respond to evolving student and faculty needs with a space that can adapt to a wide range of uses.
Positioned between Locust Walk and Walnut Street, the addition reimagines the ACPA’s relationship to campus and the public realm, reinforcing the Center’s role as a "Gateway to the Arts." Its distinctive sawtooth façade alternates between solid aluminum panels and vertical glass, creating a dynamic architectural expression. At the building’s prow, a covered porch extends activity onto Annenberg Plaza, supporting outdoor performances and student-led programming.
For more than 50 years, the Annenberg Center for Performing Arts has presented innovative and transformative performing arts experiences in the Philadelphia region while serving as a vital cultural resource at the University of Pennsylvania. Designed by Vincent Kling & Associates and completed in 1971, the Center is a significant example of mid-century Brutalist architecture. Situated at the heart of campus, it anchors the intersection of Walnut Street, Locust Walk, and the iconic Annenberg Plaza.
In 2020, the ACPA commissioned a comprehensive master plan to guide the facility’s future. The study recommended a phased approach to renovating and expanding the Center, prioritizing student and faculty needs, improving accessibility and circulation, and reimagining the performance spaces that house Penn Live Arts. The Stuart Weitzman Theatre is the first realization of that vision, advancing the Center’s mission while strengthening its physical and cultural connection to the campus.
