Cesar Pelli:

The Architect Behind the

Aronoff Center for the Arts

Michelle Roth
Museum Studies
Jay Zumeta
09/29/08
The architecture of downtown Cincinnati instantly brings to mind several

outstanding gems including the art deco Carew Tower, historic row houses of

Over-the-Rhine and the innovative Lois and Richard Rosenthal Center for

Contemporary Art. Unfortunately, one very large and significant building is

often overlooked, the Aronoff Center for the Arts (see fig. 1). Renowned

architect Cesar Pelli designed the building, incorporating many of the themes

commonly found in his work.

In 1991 Pelli was unanimously selected by the committee planning the Ohio

Center for the Arts (later named Aronoff Center for the Arts) from an

impressive list of thirteen superstar architectural firms including Frank

Gehry, Michael Graves and Peter Eisenman. Upon the announcement, Cincinnati

Post writer Douglas Bolton felt it was “…perhaps the biggest plum to be

awarded in the local development design field this year” (7B).

The center was an $82.4 million, 250,000-square-foot project housing Procter

& Gamble Hall’s 2,700-seat theater, the Jarson-Kaplan Theater featuring 440

seats, the Fifth Third Bank Theater with 150 seats and the Alice F. and

Harris K. Weston Art Gallery. The building consumes three-fourths of the

block bounded by Walnut, Main, Sixth and Seventh streets.

Cesar Pelli was born in Argentina in 1926, he later moved to the United

States to study architecture at the University of Illinois. He worked for

Eero Saarinen, Daniel, Mann, Johnson and Mendenhall, Gruen Associates and

served as the dean of the Yale School of Architecture. In 1977 he founded

Pelli and Associates, a full-service architecture firm in New Haven,

Connecticut. Pelli has earned numerous awards for his work and is most

commonly recognized as the architect of the Petronas Towers in Malaysia, once

the highest buildings in the world.

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Cesar Pelli’s prolific career includes a wide variety of commissions around

the world including shopping malls, skyscrapers, private residences,

laboratories, corporate offices, arts centers and even college dormitories.

Although he employs unique solutions for each project, there are some themes

that he revisits repeatedly, creating a recognizable style. These themes can

also be found in design of the Aronoff Center for the Arts.

First, Pelli embraces color. This is clearly illustrated in his design of

the Pacific Design Center, a three-building complex in the heart of West

Hollywood, at the corner of Melrose Avenue and San Vicente Boulevard. In 1975

the first of the three buildings in the complex was completed. This

expansive 750,000-square-foot furniture mart and design showplace (see fig.

2) is often referred to as “The Blue Whale” because it is completely covered

in reflective bright blue glass.

In 1988, the second phase of the complex was added. A striking green

building, (see fig. 3) also designed by Pelli, was erected complementing the

existing blue structure. In 2009, a third building will complete the triad

of Pacific Design Center buildings designed by Pelli. The new addition to the

complex will feature 400,000 square feet of office space packaged in two

bright red towers (see fig. 4).

Another example of Pelli’s use of color can be seen in the National Airport

Terminal (see fig. 5), now Ronald Reagan International Airport, in Washington

D.C. Steel beams of the interior and exterior are painted an unexpected

yellow. Paul Goldberger describes the hue in the book National Airport

Terminal:

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 The yellow color … is striking; it is stronger than a canary yellow,

softer than a taxicab yellow, and it seems at first to be trying a

little too hard to be endearing. Yellow for an airport? Soft colors

for any kind of large-scale civic building? But the initial sense of

sweetness gives way quickly to something stronger. Pelli’s

in-between color turns out to be oddly likable, and to have a certain

staying power. (15-16)

Pelli also incorporated color in the Four-Leaf Towers (see fig. 6) a high-

rise condominium complex built in 1982 in Houston, Texas. Rich brick and

terra cotta colors native to Texas inspired Pelli to incorporate warm red and

mauve into the design. The tower’s distinctive red roofs and salmon pink

exterior quickly made the towers a unique landmark in Houston’s skyline. To

contrast these red tones, the buildings also feature three colors of blue

opaque glass and gray reflective vision glass.

Pelli explained in his book Observations for Young Architects “Glass towers

are often associated with office buildings … I wanted to design simple and

taut glass towers that looked residential. The color modulations make the

internal purpose visible on the exterior” (88).

The design of the Aronoff Center for the Arts also illustrates Pelli’s use of

color. Red-orange brickwork was selected to reflect the tradition of brick

construction in Cincinnati. The base of the building is wrapped in a 14-foot

tall band of pale gold kasota limestone. This honey-colored limestone also

covers the exterior columns. Small square windows in the building are framed

in a similar shade of pale yellow. All of the brick and stonework is

accented with thin horizontal stripes of green Vermont slate.

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Even the sidewalks surrounding the building (see fig. 7) participate in

Pelli’s color strategy. The brick walkways feature the same colors used in

the exterior of the building, artfully arranged in a pattern of grids. These

color selections continue in the building interior for a consistent effect.

The interior floors (see fig. 8) translate the sidewalk grid pattern into

12,000 square feet of exotic marble imported from Spain, Italy, France and

Guatemala. Orange red Rosso Sicilia marble was selected by Pelli to resemble

the color of the exterior red brickwork. Accent stripes of pale yellow Crema

Valencia reflect the kasota limestone and teal green Quetzal marble mirrors

the exterior green slate.

In reviewing Pelli’s extensive career of work spanning from the mid-1950’s to

today one pattern is obvious, his love of glass. Nearly all of his work

showcases the material in a unique way. The effect is often a sleek surface,

as though a tight sheath of glass has been wrapped around the building. This

is referred to as skins or curtain walls. John Pastier explained “Pelli

would quite likely clad his structures in a single huge glass sheet, or

perhaps even shrink wrap them, if such things were technologically

feasible” (16).

To create this slick exterior illusion, extremely small exterior mullions are

used to support windowpanes and window corners are beveled to appear as one

continuous surface. In more recent works, complex systems of insulated glass

are supported by stainless steel panels and interior trusses.

One example of Pelli’s use of glass is the Columbus Commons and Courthouse

Center (see fig. 9) built in 1972 in Columbus, Indiana. From the exterior,

the building is encased in a faceted bronze glass skin, resembling an

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anonymous modern office building. This is a stark contrast to the building’s

charming Victorian small town surroundings.

Immediately inside the Commons is a lively public space featuring a two-story

high room, abundant natural light from windows and a flurry of activity. The

building serves as a town center, indoor courtyard and meeting place.

Visitors can enjoy playgrounds, sitting areas, galleries, performances, shops

and eateries.

Another clear illustration of Pelli’s use of glass is Rainbow Center Mall and

Winter Garden (see fig. 10) built in 1977 in Niagara Falls, New York. The

main entrance welcomes visitors with a 120-foot tall glass-enclosed

conservatory filled with exotic lush landscaping, small pools, stone pathways

and raised walkways. The glass admits maximum amounts of natural light,

making the building an escape from the rough winter climate of upstate New

York.

A more recent example of glass in Pelli’s work can be seen in Hotel Sea Hawk,

1995, the largest hotel in Kyushu, Japan (see fig. 11). It consists of a

gently bowed vertical tower in which each floor boasts generous windows to

capture expansive views of Hakata Bay. Like the Columbus Commons and

Courthouse Center and Rainbow Center Mall and Winter Garden this design also

features an atrium that functions as a gathering place. Attached to the

Hotel Sea Hawk tower stands a 120-foot tall laminated glass construction with

seashell-like curves. This portion of the hotel functions as a place where

guests can congregate and relax. This area houses restaurants, bars,

ballrooms and conference centers.

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Glass is also a major theme in the Aronoff Center for the Arts design. The

curtain wall overlooking Walnut Street (see fig. 12) consists of 16,000 square

feet of glass and the Seventh Street side of the building (see fig. 13)

required 361 two-by-six-foot glass panels.

Pelli’s attention to glass is also obvious when visitors step into the

Aronoff Center for the Arts. The main entrance doors of Procter & Gamble

Hall open to an expansive three-story room with one wall made almost entirely

of glass (see fig. 14). In this towering room, exposed staircases lead up to

floors on the Balcony, Loge and Orchestra levels. Like Pelli’s other

dramatic glass rooms, this space also serves as a gathering spot, a place for

guests to mingle and relax before shows or during intermissions.

Another common theme in Pelli’s work is the use of a circulation spine. The

spine refers to a complex of rooms or buildings sharing one common corridor,

which becomes an important artery and a dominant space in the complex. The

corridor functions like a Main Street in a small town, connecting several

buildings and places with one common route.

This design strategy allows for future expansion and flexibility. New spaces

can easily be added along the spine, stacked on top of existing spaces or

specific areas can be removed. A second corridor, parallel to the first

spine could be added to accommodate extensive growth, and the two spines

along with their connecting routes would function like the grid of streets in

a city.

The first design in which Pelli incorporated this strategy was Teledyne

Laboratories, built in 1968 in Los Angeles (see fig. 15). Most of the work

areas in the building, such as assembly, testing and laboratories could not

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have windows. Those areas were designated to one side of the spine. The

other side of the spine was dedicated to common areas such as the cafeteria,

drafting and administration. This important corridor features a continuous

wall of windows as a relief from the production areas encased in metal

panels. The spine is two-stories tall and sprawls over 800 feet in length.

In 1969 Pelli developed a proposal for UN City (see fig. 16) in Vienna that

also incorporated the spine concept. The spine strategy for this building is

far more complex than Teledyne Laboratories. In this design, the main

corridor features sloping glass panels and stretches over 1,500 feet in

length. This long hallway functions as a dramatic public space for 25,000

workers and 5,000 visitors each day. The important artery links offices for

six international organizations, 15 conference halls, seven office towers,

rapid transit rail lines, parking garages, walkways, elevators and

escalators. Unlike Teledyne Laboratories, UN City’s spine organizes spaces

that are horizontal and vertical, with towers up to 38 stories tall.

Although the building was never constructed, Pelli’s design earned first

place in a prestigious international design competition. As a disappointed

John Pastier explained “Had it been built…this might well have become one of

the textbook examples of 20th-century architecture” (54).

The spine principle is also illustrated in the Long Gallery House developed

in 1980 (see fig. 17). This whimsical house was never constructed; Pelli

developed the concept for a family-home-themed architecture show at Leo

Castelli Gallery. This house looks like a traditional one-story home from

the street, but features a long spine running perpendicular to the sidewalk.

Rooms are constructed as separate buildings that plug into the main spine.

As the homeowner’s life changes more rooms can be added to the spine, or

reconfigured along the spine for convenience. The house offers the owner

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flexibility and choices to accommodate life’s transitions. Rooms could be

reworked, but the building spine would always remain constant.

Pelli describes the spine in his Long Gallery House design brief published in

the book Houses for Sale:

It structures the house and gives it its character. It is a means of

circulation, the only way to reach all the rooms or to go from room to

room, and it is also everything the rooms are not. It is a center but

also a void. It is a connector of different spaces or of different

family members, facilitating communication among them. (75)

The Aronoff Center for the Arts also features a circulation spine, although

it is not as pronounced as the Long Gallery House. The Walnut Street side of

the building consumes nearly the entire length of the block and the spine

runs parallel to the street. Visitors can enter the building at the corner

of Seventh and Walnut and walk through the Alice F. and Harris K. Weston Art

Gallery, Procter & Gamble Hall lobby, theater box offices and Jarson-Kaplan

Theater lobby all in one long corridor. The hallway opens into a plaza and

Nada restaurant, (also part of the Aronoff Center for the Arts complex) at

the corner of Sixth and Walnut. Like other Pelli spine configurations this

important artery connects main components of the complex, features dramatic

windows and also serves as a common gathering area. Visitors can mingle, buy

tickets and relax before and after shows in the long hallway.

Cesar Pelli’s design of the Aronoff Center for the Arts is consistent with

other work developed throughout his career spanning over a half-century.

Although the arts facility is unique, Pelli incorporated dramatic color,

extensive glass skins and a circulation spine, all themes explored

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consistently in his other designs, reinforcing his distinct, recognizable

style.

In 1991 the design of the Aronoff Center for the Arts was just beginning. In

an interview with Jerry Stein for The Cincinnati Post Pelli explained his

plan for the building:

I have walked around a lot…the architectural characteristics of

Cincinnati are very strong brick buildings firmly planted on the

ground, very simple. They are not extroverted but very friendly. And

that is what I try to capture…without being imitative, without being

nostalgic (the Center) is like a new member of a handsome and proud

family. (12C)

Pelli’s design fit this vision. The Aronoff Center for the Arts has become

an important addition to the family of buildings in downtown Cincinnati, and

a friendly and welcoming place to showcase performing and visual arts. The

complex has been a success and will celebrate its 13th anniversary in late

October.

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 Works Cited

Archer, B.J. Houses for Sale. New York: Rizzoli, 1980.

Bolton, Douglas. “Designers Chosen For City's Arts Center.” The Cincinnati

Post 1 May 1991: 7B.

Goldberger, Paul, and Oscar Riera Ojeda. National Airport Terminal.

Gloucester, MA: Rockport Publishers, 2000.

Pastier, John. Cesar Pelli. New York: Whitney Library of Design,

1980.

Pelli, Cesar. Observations for Young Architects. New York: Monacelli

Press, 1999.

Stein, Jerry. “Soaring Curved-Glass Walls Will Distinguish Arts Center.”

The Cincinnati Post 5 December 1991: 12C.

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Figure 1
Cesar Pelli
Aronoff Center for the Arts, 1995
Cincinnati, OH

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Figure 2
Cesar Pelli
Pacific Design Center (Blue Building), 1975
West Hollywood, CA

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Figure 3
Cesar Pelli
Pacific Design Center (Green Building), 1988
West Hollywood, CA

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Figure 4
Cesar Pelli
Pacific Design Center (Red Building), to be completed in 2009
West Hollywood, CA

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Figure 5
Cesar Pelli
National Airport Terminal, 1997
Washington D.C.

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Figure 6
Cesar Pelli
Four-Leaf Towers, 1982
Houston, Texas

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Figure 7
Cesar Pelli
Aronoff Center for the Arts, 1995
(View of exterior walkways)
Cincinnati, OH

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Figure 8
Cesar Pelli
Aronoff Center for the Arts, 1995
(View of interior floors)
Cincinnati, OH

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Figure 9
Cesar Pelli
Columbus Commons and Courthouse Center, 1972
Columbus, Indiana

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Figure 10
Cesar Pelli
Rainbow Center Mall and Winter Garden, 1977
Niagara Falls, New York

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Figure 11
Cesar Pelli
Hotel Sea Hawk, 1995
Kyushu, Japan

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Figure 12
Cesar Pelli
Aronoff Center for the Arts, 1995
(View of Walnut Street side)
Cincinnati, OH

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Figure 13
Cesar Pelli
Aronoff Center for the Arts, 1995
(View of Seventh Street side)
Cincinnati, OH

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Figure 14
Cesar Pelli
Aronoff Center for the Arts, 1995
(View of Procter and Gamble Hall lobby)
Cincinnati, OH

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Figure 15
Cesar Pelli
Teledyne Laboratories, 1968
Los Angeles, CA

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Figure 16
Cesar Pelli
UN City Proposal, 1969
Vienna, Austria

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Figure 17
Cesar Pelli
Long Gallery House Proposal, 1980
(No location)

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