OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — The ribbon is cut on the new Tenaska Center in downtown Omaha, a space designed to serve all 93 Nebraska counties and southwest Iowa.
The building opens to the public on Sunday with a free open house from noon to 4. Families, educators and neighbors are invited to attend and get an in-person look at the different spaces designed to be explored.
3 News Now's Mary Nelson went one-on-one with architect Stephen Chu.
"I would say the two big concepts from a design standpoint are transparency, and also vibrancy," he said.
A dramatic piece in the atrium (by artist Eva LeWitt) exemplifies both concepts with bold, see-through colors. Chu also wanted people to see through the building itself, from the inside out and the outside in.
Flanking the windows are vertical fins. Each fin has micro facets and a chameleon finish, which changes with the sun and surroundings.
"Tenaska has this very prominent diagram across these golden fins that accentuates this movement of directionality toward Leahy Mall and towards the (Old Market)," Chu said.
Back inside, Chu joined Joan Squires, long-time president of Omaha Performing Arts, for a tour. Both emphasized the functionality of the Tenaska Center.
"This is a second-largest space that we can have all kinds of rehearsals in. Dance classes, vocal ensembles, musical groups, hip hop classes and more," Squires said.
Technology built into the walls, floors and ceilings protects acoustics and reduces vibration.
Chu commended Squires for her vision of what the arts could be, while she praised him for designing a space that reflects and respects the community.
"I just want it to become a magnet. But at the same time, a presence that the citizens and visitors to Omaha feel like is a core piece of Omaha. I want it to feel like this is a part of Omaha. It's the essence of Omaha. It's the future of Omaha," Chu said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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