"The most glamorous civic building to land in New York in years."

PAC NYC’s mission to provide the highest level of theatrical flexibility and technologically advanced spaces for creative performance centered our venue design approach, in collaboration with design architect REX. Within the walls of the “mystery box” of PAC NYC are three distinct theatres that can be combined into a variety of configurations. Originally bid to 22 configurations, 60 possible layouts have been submitted for permitting to date, and even more possibilities have yet to be discovered.

Conceptualized from the inside out, the PAC promises an unparalleled audience experience, fostering a profound connection between the audience and performers. These spaces, acoustically shielded from each other and the rumblings of trains below, are combined or separated thanks to massive acoustic "guillotine"-style doors. Alysen Hiller Fiore, a Director at REX, has said, “this building doesn’t have a lot of architectural tricks. It has a lot of theatrical tricks.”

The technical capacity of the new building is of paramount importance, not only to expand the potential audience of performances (via high-definition broadcast and streaming) nationally and internationally, but also to facilitate the creation of distinctly 21st Century art: collaborations, in real time, between performers in New York and, say, Beijing and Sydney.

The Perelman Arts Center offers an intimacy that transcends traditional theatre boundaries. The PAC’s non-profit operator aims to foster connection and community. The center will showcase a diverse range of performances, including music, theater, dance, opera, film, and special events.

Charcoalblue founding partner Gavin Green emphasizes the precision and warmth of the design: "Fractions of an inch become important. All the components move robustly and with a high level of precision. But it’s not just a machine or a black box. The room is packed with personality and warmth. It’s a celebration of those people onstage, and it’s about trying to get a tightly focused relationship with the audience."

The stunning public lobby designed by David Rockwell is open to the public and welcoming visitors and tickets are now available for the diverse range of performances and programs onstage in downtown Manhattan’s newest venue.

But PAC NYC is not just a performing arts center; it’s a symbol of the power of the arts to entertain, inspire, and unite. The building’s design responds to the sanctity of the World Trade Center site and the humanistic aspirations of the PAC’s mission, empowering artists to imagine and create a vast range of performances and audience experiences within a building that respectfully and warmly addresses its complex setting. PAC NYC Khady Kamara has said, “The memorial is here for people to come and grieve and pay their respects. The museum is for people to learn, be aware and never forget, and the Performing Arts Center is here for people to celebrate life and really celebrate the resilience of New Yorkers and of the country.”