Ahmanson Auditorium

For decades, the Ahmanson Auditorium has been much more than an entertainment and artistic space—it has also been the programmatic heart of the College, serving as a venue for world-class speakers, movie marathons and emotional gatherings.

The Ahmanson Auditorium was fully renovated in 2021 by Darin Johnstone Architects (DJA) to create a premier cinematic experience and high-functioning educational space. DJA led a team of experts to accomplish a renovation that aligns with contemporary notions of procession, access, sound and vision to significantly enhance the auditorium’s screening capabilities for future generations of filmmakers, artists and designers.

The result is an auditorium that encompasses 3,300 square feet—including a state-of-the-art digital and 35mm projection room—that provides audiences with comfortable seating and excellent sightlines.

The project was made possible in part by support from The Ahmanson Foundation, The Fletcher Jones Foundation, The Ralph M. Parsons Foundation, Jeffrey Barbakow and Margo Baker Barbakow, and Deborah and Zachary E. Snyder BFA 89.

_{Ahmanson Auditorium images by Joushua White. Courtesy of DJA.}