Founded in 1992 as an alternative educational program, the Arts and Communication Magnet Academy in Beaverton, Oregon has grown into an award-winning arts school with an annual waiting list of 300. For its new 9 million dollar, 21,000 square foot facility, the interior design carries the story of an academy that puts its heart and soul into art. Guided by the concept of "performance before the performance," the new facility transforms the campus experience through two performance spaces, three art galleries, and the back of house support that was previously missing. The theater is physically smaller than many school auditoria, yet outfitted with more than 1 million dollars in lighting and sound for true pre professional training, making it the premier performance facility in the district. For a dance program serving more than 200 students, the design had to support not only a stage and wings, but the spaces that make performance possible. A secondary black box performance space holds up to 80 people for productions and doubles as a large green room for dance, providing the flexibility and support needed for intensive rehearsal and show schedules. Art is equally visible and intentional throughout. The 150 foot West Gallery showcases student work through large windows that reinforce the school’s directive to show the world what we do. North facing offsets create eddies along the gallery with custom display and acoustic dividers, including a mesh divider that breaks up the long volume and reduces noise from simultaneous classes. Multiple video screens and three types of display systems expand capacity for student work across disciplines. The lobby itself serves as another gallery, setting the tone as patrons move toward the 400 seat main stage. Despite the gallery height, careful acoustic treatment keeps the space quiet enough for classes, receptions, and concerts. A constricted vestibule builds anticipation before expanding to reveal the main stage saturated in red, a simple transition that expresses ACMA’s passion for the arts. Across both venues, near perfect acoustics are achieved through reflective clouds, absorptive panels, and second level drapery, while the black box theatre supports technical training with professional equipment including a full fly with catwalks and robotic lighting operated through sophisticated software.