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Cultural + Performing Arts

Behind every performance, museum exhibition, or cultural event is an interwoven backdrop of complex issues that design thinking can resolve. Whether designing a new venue or reimagining an existing one, we promise to create spaces that enrich the community, empower creative expression, and set the stage for cultural and economic vitality.

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The Ismaili Center in Houston Rendering ⓒ Imara Houston Inc.
firm-news

Ismaili Center to be Houston's Newest Cultural Asset

November 16, 2021

The design for the Ismaili Center to be built in Houston’s Buffalo Bayou watershed was presented to the public at a gathering of government and civic officials, community representatives, and leaders from civil society organizations. DLR Group is serving as executive architect and architect of record and is collaborating with London-based design architect Farshid Moussavi and landscape architect Nelson Byrd Woltz in Houston.

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Connect with our Team

If you don't meet them at a gallery or sit next to them at the theater, you can find their contact info here.

Paul Westlake

Global Cultural+Performing Arts Leader Senior Principal

Paul Westlake

FAIA, IIDA
Global Cultural+Performing Arts Leader Senior Principal
Paul directs the firm’s Cultural+Performing Arts studio collaborating with a diverse range of clients, including Broadway producers; premier performing arts centers, orchestras, and conservatories of music; major museums; and academic arts institutions. He has cultivated a team of designers and technicians specializing in the arts that has developed an internationally recognized portfolio of award-winning design.

Vanessa Kassabian

Senior Design Leader Principal

Vanessa Kassabian

AIA, LEED AP
Senior Design Leader Principal
Vanessa is a Cultural+Performing Arts design leader. She works closely with teams across the firm to facilitate design discussions and provide critical guidance on considerations around site, programming, massing, aesthetics, and execution. Vanessa has extensive experience designing for significant cultural programs throughout the United States, as well as in Canada, Mexico, and Asia.

Dennis Bree

Cultural+Performing Arts Design Leader Principal

Dennis Bree

AIA, LEED AP
Cultural+Performing Arts Design Leader Principal
Dennis is an expert in the design of cultural and performing arts facilities, frequently leading product research, design work sessions, and detail development. He is a strong believer in the role projects play as centers of community, learning, and expression. Dennis is also a faculty associate at the Design School at Arizona State University, where he has taught undergraduate design studios in architecture.

Carol Duke

National Business Development Leader Principal

Carol Duke

Associate AIA
National Business Development Leader Principal
As a principal, Carol leads national business development and strategy for our firm’s Cultural+Performing Arts Studio. In this role, she builds long-lasting relationships with clients that result in well-planned and inspiring design solutions. She has held several leadership and committee positions and remains actively involved in organizations such as the American Institute of Architects; Society of College and University Planning; and the Society of Marketing Professional Services.

Christina Kruise

Business Operations Funding Specialist Associate

Christina Kruise

Business Operations Funding Specialist Associate
Christina is a business operations and fundraising specialist. Her natural curiosity and lifelong love for the arts led Christina to a career focused on development and planning for cultural facilities, working to ensure these spaces are equitable, accessible, inclusive, and representative of the communities in which they exist. An experienced practitioner, Christina has a deep understanding of the forces and trends at work in the arts and cultural sector, and how these elements impact the choices being made for a facility. She appreciates how the nuances of each project and client require individualized attention and care to arrive at the best solution.

Patrick Barrett

Theatrical Design Leader Senior Associate

Patrick Barrett

ASTC
Theatrical Design Leader Senior Associate
Patrick leads theater design as part of the firm’s Integrated Technology Design Group. Based in New York, he focuses on planning spaces and designing systems for the arts to support a wide range of performances. Patrick and his team focus on how patrons will interact with the building and how performers and technicians can ultimately use the space.

Jonathan Hopkins

Acoustics Leader Principal

Jonathan Hopkins

Acoustics Leader Principal
Jonathan leads our award-winning acoustic design team. He has experience working in performing arts and museum environments to deliver the unique sensory experiences of sound for patrons of premier spaces around the globe. Jonathan is a lifelong musician, studying voice, piano, and saxophone performance, as well as music theory.

Roger Chang

Mechanical Engineering Leader Principal

Roger Chang

PE, LEED Fellow
Mechanical Engineering Leader Principal
Roger is a passionate advocate for integrated design and high-performance buildings, particularly within the context of historic and cultural projects. His work has received two AIA COTE awards and his experience includes work at National Institute of Standards and Technology, and collaborations with the Harvard School of Public Health.

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