CounterPulse Theater

Universal Access Onstage and Off

A new home for a pioneering performing arts theater manifests the spirit of openness, inclusivity and community.

Moving On

After 10 years in San Francisco’s SoMa neighborhood, CounterPulse feared the clock was running out on its affordable lease. Fortunately, the Community Arts Stabilization Trust, an organization dedicated to keeping nonprofit arts groups in the city, approached CounterPulse to form a partnership. Through this alliance, CounterPulse leased to purchase a onetime vaudeville theater. Although rundown, the building provided a secure home in the theater district, close to downtown transit, and a chance to create a theater tailored to its renowned program of experimental performing arts.

Red Carpet Treatment

A glass-clad lobby staircase links all three lobby levels and allows visitors to feel connected whether entering from the street or emerging from the lounge. The underside of the cascading theater seats forms the sloping ceiling of the ground-floor lobby, and is painted a vibrant red, to suggest an inverse red carpet. The wooden benches and nooks on the lobby and mezzanine levels extend the warm, inviting atmosphere.

Cozy but Welcoming

A major consideration was getting the most of the limited space while also providing an enhanced level of accessibility to support CounterPulse’s longstanding collaborations with underrepresented artist communities including the differently abled. JENSEN divided the lobby into two floors—a street-level lobby and basement lounge—with a mezzanine level overlooking the main entrance. Wheelchair seating is accommodated at all levels within the theater, which also offers unencumbered access to the stage.

Incubating Culture

The renovated main stage is a state-of-the-art, 115-seat theater. It can be set up as a traditional black box — or white, depending on a production’s needs. Upstairs is a flexible studio space with a bare wood floor and built-in sound system, well suited for meetings, rehearsals, workshops, and dance classes. The possibilities are many — and the events here are open to every visitor.

Type: Arts

Client: CounterPulse

Location: San Francisco

Awards

2017 Inspirations Awards Honorable Mention

Press

Fast Company, “How one arts organization saved itself when Twitter moved in next door,” March 2022

SF Weekly, “Venue Q. CounterPulse and the performance of queer resistance,” October 2017

Contract Magazine, “Competition: Inspiration Awards,” July/August 2017

SFGate, “CounterPulse is Step with Tech-Firm Neighbors,” October 2015

San Francisco Magazine, “Former Porn Palaces Have Terrific Bones,” October 2015

7x7, “CounterPulse Gets a New Home,” November 2013

Architects

Project Leads: Mark Jensen; Frank Merritt; Keri Goodlad; Andy Lin

Project Team: Kimberly Cinco; Andre Vilhena

Consultants

Structural: Triangle Engineering

Mechanical, Electrical & Plumbing: MHC Engineering

Construction Manager: Ventura Partners

Theatrical & A/V: The Shalleck Collaborative

Contractor

NCR Construction

Photographer

Cesar Rubio

Scott Fin

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