Bridges Auditorium

The Mabel Shaw Bridges Music Auditorium, more commonly known as Bridges Auditorium or Big Bridges (to distinguish it from nearby Bridges Hall of Music, known as Little Bridges[4]), is a 2500-seat auditorium at Pomona College in Claremont, California, United States. It was designed by William Templeton Johnson and opened in 1932. It hosts a variety of performances for the college and outside groups.

Not to be confused with Bridges Hall of Music.
Mabel Shaw Bridges Music Auditorium
Alternative namesBig Bridges
General information
TypeAuditorium
Architectural styleRenaissance Revival[1]
Address450 N. College Way
Town or cityClaremont, California
CountryUnited States
Coordinates34°05′53″N 117°42′44″W
Named forMabel Shaw Bridges
Construction started1930[2]
Completed1931[2]
Opened1932[1]
Renovated1975[1]
Cost$650,000[3]
OwnerPomona College
Height28.9 m (95 ft)
Technical details
MaterialSteel, reinforced concrete[3]
Floor area60,000 square feet (5,600 m2)
Design and construction
ArchitectWilliam Templeton Johnson[1]
Other information
Seating capacity2494[1]
Public transit accessClaremont
Website
pomona.edu/administration/bridges-auditorium

History
External image
Big Bridges under construction in 1931

The auditorium was built as a joint project of the Claremont Colleges consortium. It was sponsored by the parents of Mabel Shaw Bridges, a student in Pomona's class of 1908 who died of illness in her junior year,[5] and H.H. Timken, president of the Timken Roller Bearing Company.[2][6]

From its completion until the opening of the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in 1964, it was arguably the premier destination of choice for prominent visitors to Southern California.[7] It was also the largest collegiate auditorium on the West Coast, with a capacity nearly twice that of Pomona and equal to that of the city of Claremont.[2] The Los Angeles Philharmonic frequently performed there.[7]

The auditorium was renovated from 1975 to 1977 for seismic retrofitting and cosmetic repairs.[1][8] In 2007, control was transferred from the consortium to Pomona individually.[9][10][11]

Pomona's 2015 master plan classifies Big Bridges as a "building notable for establishing the distinctive context" of the college, and describes it as a symbol of the college's regional civic engagement.[12] A 2015 impact report from the college identifies it as eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places,[13] although as of 2020 the college has not yet applied for it to be listed. John Neiuber, writing for the Claremont Courier in 2017, expressed surprise it is not listed.[14]

Architecture
Big Bridges viewed from across Marston Quadrangle

Big Bridges is the primary visual anchor point for the east side of Marston Quadrangle, the center of Pomona's campus. It was constructed in a Renaissance Revival style modeled after northern Italy,[1] and incorporates Art Deco elements.[5] It has large porticos on its front and sides with arched columns,[15] and a large formally adorned foyer inside the main entrance. The building's frieze features the names of five eminent composers;[2] it was the target of a famous 1975 prank in which the one for Frédéric Chopin was replaced with one honoring Frank Zappa.[16][8][17]

The auditorium has a capacity of 2,494 people, including a 500-seat cantilevered balcony.[1] There are no supporting columns, allowing all seats to have unobstructed views of the 62-by-36-foot (19 m × 11 m) proscenium.[2]

The basement has a historical exhibit.[18]

Ceiling
External image
Interior of Big Bridges, showing the ceiling mural

A mural by Italian-American artist John B. Smeraldi covers the 22,000-square-foot (2,000 m2) parabolic domed ceiling of the auditorium.[1] It depicts a variety of constellations in silver and gold leaf[19] against a pale blue background.[2]

Usage
An orientation session for the Pomona class of 2020 in Big Bridges

Big Bridges hosts a variety of events and performances for the college, including orientation sessions, concerts, and guest speaker lectures. The college also rents the auditorium to outside groups. A number of films and television shows have used the auditorium as a set.[20]

References
  1. "About Bridges Auditorium". Pomona College. 7 April 2015. Retrieved 18 September 2020.
  2. "1931". Pomona College Timeline. Pomona College. 7 November 2014. Retrieved 18 September 2020.
  3. Harth, Marjorie L. (2007). Pomona College: Reflections on a campus. Claremont, Calif.: Pomona College. pp. 100–103. ISBN 978-0-9786996-5-9.
  4. Allen, David (3 October 2015). "Bridges Hall of Music hits right notes for 100 years". Inland Valley Daily Bulletin. Retrieved 4 August 2020.
  5. Neiuber, John (2 June 2020). "Bring life back to the Village with walking tour". Claremont Courier. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
  6. "Colleges plan new buildings". Los Angeles Times. 7 Sep 1928. p. 36. Retrieved 18 September 2020.
  7. Rhodes, Mick (22 August 2017). "Colleges put Claremont in the spotlight". Claremont Courier. Retrieved 4 August 2020.
  8. "1975". Pomona College Timeline. Pomona College. 7 November 2014. Retrieved 18 September 2020.
  9. Gordon, Larry (21 April 2008). "A departure sadly noted". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 18 September 2020.
  10. "1994". Pomona College Timeline. Pomona College. 7 November 2014. Retrieved 18 September 2020.
  11. "2007". Pomona College Timeline. Pomona College. 7 November 2014. Retrieved 18 September 2020.
  12. "Pomona College 2015 Campus Master Plan" (PDF). Pomona College. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
  13. "Pomona College 2015 Campus Master Plan Recirculated Draft Environmental Impact Report". City of Claremont. Retrieved 8 August 2020.
  14. Neiuber, John (13 January 2017). "The National Register of Historic Places". Claremont Courier. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
  15. Finkel, Jori (18 January 2012). "James Turrell on Burning Bridges, part of January's PST festival". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 18 September 2020.
  16. Allen, David (9 February 2013). "Who really composed Frank Zappa prank of the '70s?". Inland Valley Daily Bulletin. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
  17. Kendall, Mark. "A Carefully Calculated Caper" (PDF). Pomona College Magazine (Fall 2012). Pomona College. pp. 16–19. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
  18. Wood, Mark (28 June 2017). "Big Bridges Hall of Fame". Pomona College Magazine. Pomona College. Retrieved 18 September 2020.
  19. "John B. Smeraldi". Bridges Auditorium - Pomona College. Facebook. Retrieved 18 September 2020.
  20. "Movies and Television at Bridges Auditorium". Pomona College. 7 April 2015. Retrieved 18 September 2020.
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