Cinematic Arts Complex

Like the art form itself, the USC cinema program thrives through constant evolution and growth. What began as a handful of courses offered in USC’s Bovard Auditorium has matured into one of the world’s leading schools of cinema, television and interactive media.

View from the SCA Complex Cam on September 3, 2008.

Since those first courses in 1929, the need for classrooms, production areas and administrative space has also expanded. Accordingly, the school has occupied a number of different locations over the years, including the Old College Building, the wooden “stables” and the present Lucas Instructional Building. 

This aggressive programmatic expansion has resulted in an usage rate of the current structure significantly exceeding its original design capacity. Shortages in classrooms mean students often have to take courses in buildings scattered throughout the USC campus. A lack of offices compels up to six adjunct instructors to share a single space. Student projects place tremendous demand on soundstages and other production areas.

To alleviate this present situation, as well as provide room for future growth, the School of Cinematic Arts is creating an entirely new complex adjacent to its current location on the USC University Park Campus.

Building layout of the new Cinematic Arts compound

The compound is composed of two strategic elements: the main 137,000-square-foot facility; and four integral adjacent structures—a 36,000-square-foot instructional building; a 9,500-square-foot soundstage; a 9,200-square-foot soundstage; and an 8,450-square-foot soundstage.

The main facility has five levels and will house a broad range of projects and personnel, including post-production suites, classrooms, screening rooms, conference and seminar facilities, as well as administrative offices. The structure also features several keystone elements, including a 200-seat theater, an exhibition hall and a café, all situated directly off the sweeping main courtyard.

The total estimated cost of the main complex is roughly $100 million, while the instructional building and soundstages will reach approximately $65 million. The first element is slated to go on line in December 2008, with the others following in rapid sequence.

Artist's rendering: new complex main lobby

Artist's rendering: new complex plaza and café

Statistics At A Glance:    
Architect: Urban Design www.urbandesigngroup
Contractor: Hathaway Dinwiddie

Total square footage of Cinematic Arts grounds:

Main Complex
Square footage (gross): 137,000
Square footage (useable): 122,816
Number of stories: 4 (plus sub-level post-production area)
Number of classrooms: 8
Number of multimedia conference rooms: 9
Number of conference rooms: 14
Number of screening rooms: 8 (One 200-seat, one 100-seat, two 80-seat and four 40-seat)
Exhibition/Installation space: 700 square feet
Café: 200 seats (approximately)
Groundbreaking: October 4, 2006
Estimated time of completion: December 2008
Estimated cost of construction: $75,000,000
Estimated cost of furnishing: $25,000,000

Instructional Building
Square footage: 36,000

Soundstage A
Square footage: 9,500

Soundstage B
Square footage: 8,450

Soundstage C
Square footage: 9,200

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