Vibrant Music Hall

Vibrant Music Hall is a new two-story 61,000-square-foot entertainment venue located within a 40-acre KeeTown Loop entertainment district in Waukee, Iowa. At the heart of the development, 3,500-seat live entertainment venue operated by LiveNation is a place to gather and connect. Multiple bars and intimate seating areas create moments for concert goers to meet and mingle before, during, and after the show. The design blends LiveNation’s palette and standards – the brand’s signature red punctuates every space – while also echoing the client’s request that it must be “of Iowa.” Lighting, sound, and color combine to create an industrial, raw, rock-and-roll vibe while still being of its place. Geometric designs of the backbars mimic the fields of corn, soybeans, and alfalfa seen from the air. Wood slats interpret rows of corn, and the bar fronts are reminiscent of fencing and other agrarian materials. In the VIP Lounge, or Red Room, wood rectangles grow out of the back bar and wrap onto the ceiling. As it grows, the installation becomes less dense, ending at different lengths to recall the levels on a sound equalizer bouncing during a performance. The pattern is repeated on the opposite wall so the two sides of the room seem to reach toward one another. In the performance area, the stage is framed by lines of light that mimic guitar frets. Throughout the music hall the latest technology creates an enhanced entertainment experience. In the dressing rooms brick walls, black patterns, leather couches, and shelves full of vinyl records are industrial and warm simultaneously. An outdoor plaza immediately adjacent to the building provides an opportunity for flexible outdoor programming. Interior spaces are extended outdoors as well. A south-facing balcony creates a “see and be seen” moment outside.