Columbus, Ohio
Dance Unite
A proposed dance studio in Columbus, Ohio: a budget-minded prefabricated steel building with a welcoming facade and a community-focused plan.
The project
Dance Unite is a 5,500-square-foot dance studio designed for a bare site in Columbus. The design starts from an economical prefabricated steel building and puts Arcfluence's effort into the facade and a plan with room for community gatherings.
A community studio on a tight budget
The owners are closely involved with their community and needed a building that could serve it on a tight budget. It had to work for dance classes, for a steady flow of students, and for community events that have nothing to do with a class schedule. It also had to be affordable to build.
The structure stays simple.
The facade is what welcomes people in.
A prefabricated steel building as the starting point
The structure is a simple prefabricated steel building supplied by a third-party manufacturer. Arcfluence did not design the steel envelope; it designed the facade and everything inside it. Choosing a manufactured shell early keeps the structure straightforward and puts the design effort where students, parents and visitors will actually feel it.
Awning, wood and stonework on the front
The facade is where the building says what it is. A suspended awning marks the entrance, wood runs across the front, and stonework and a masonry skirt ground the base. Together they turn a manufactured building into a front door for a dance school.
Masonry stays at the sides and base, wood carries the full facade, and patio seating extends out front.
Studios, a loft and room for community events
Inside, Arcfluence planned the full layout. The plan includes dance studios, a second-floor loft with an additional studio and offices, and several bathrooms for students and visitors. The building is also planned as flexible space for community gatherings, so it can serve the neighborhood beyond class hours.
Five parking spaces are planned on site, supplemented by a shared parking agreement with a neighbor.