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LET THERE BE LIGHT! A light-filled gAllery wAlk provides the perfect finishing touch for the Astonishing new writers theAtre building from stArchitect Jeanne GanG. By J.P. anderson PhotograPhy by Steve hall © hedrich bleSSing, courteSy of Studio gang architectS At 36,000 square feet, the new Writers Theatre boasts a sleek, sustainable design that's made possible with local, recycled, and renewable materials. It's rare that a new theater's bones get as much attention as its latest stage production, but when that theater is designed by the world- renowned Studio Gang Architects, it comes with the territory. North of the city in suburban, woodsy Glencoe, Writers Theatre's new $28 million building is a 36,000- square-foot stunner; built on the site of the old Woman's Library Club, the thoroughly modern, sustainably designed—and potentially LEED Gold certified—center boasts two theater spaces; access to outdoor rooftop terraces and landscaped rooftop gardens as well as views of surrounding parks; and a main lobby/gathering area that will feature a variety of supplemental programs. Most striking of all? The stunning, second-level Grand Gallery Walk, an airy, light-filled space constructed of and framed by criss-crossing batons of Port Orford cedar and looking out through floor-to-ceiling windows to the sylvan views beyond the theater—the perfect counterpoint to the intimate performance spaces, and a perfect expression of Writers Theatre's vision of fitting into the surround- ing community. "[It] ties the building firmly into a theater-in-the-park atmosphere," says artistic director Michael Halberstam. "The wood is in direct dialogue with the surrounding trees, and it softens the interface between the village and the building. It therefore becomes a place for contemplation of both architecture and art." And a showstopper in itself. 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe, 847-242-6000; writerstheatre.org . 152 michiganavemag.com Space architecture