PHOTOS: Peek inside The REACH at the Kennedy Center

August 29, 2019

Constantino, Abigail

The Kennedy Center is hosting a free multiweek festival for the grand opening of its new campus expansion, The REACH.

There will be nearly 500 events Sept. 7–22 that will include everything from musical and comedy performances to panel discussions, dance parties, instructional workshops and outdoor screenings of movies and opera performances.

To attend the festival, free timed-entry passes are required. You can find pass information and a complete lineup of events on the Kennedy Center’s website.

Parking nearby or on site can cost more than $20. A free shuttle runs to the campus from the Foggy Bottom Metro station; it’s a short walk along New Hampshire Avenue.

Pedestrians and cyclists have access to the campus via the pedestrian bridge that connects to the path along the Potomac River. There’s also a path that can be used to access the campus from the D.C. side of the Theodore Roosevelt Bridge.

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Explore “creativity in action” indoors and outdoors at the Kennedy Center’s The Reach. (WTOP/Kristi King)

The REACH fulfills a vision for the future about opening up the full life cycle of the artistic, creative process according to Robert van Leer, senior vice president of artistic planning for the Kennedy Center.

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The lead architect of The REACH, Steven Holl, designed the sofa, carpets, chairs and rugs. (WTOP/Kristi King)

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Lead architect Steven Holl designed the chairs, carpet and rugs inside the Kennedy Center’s new addition, The REACH. (WTOP/Kristi King)

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The sofa and chairs at the Kennedy Center’s The REACH were designed by Steven Holl, the lead architect. (WTOP/Kristi King)

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Blue is the only primary color used in The REACH. It represents the sky in Studio K that will be used as a club for comedy, hip-hop, jazz, etc. (WTOP/Kristi King)

“It opens up a number of different kind of creative opportunities for the broader public to get an insight into the creative, developmental process of art today,” van Leer said.

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The construction has not been without its snags. One of the glass panels in this window broke, and its replacement is specially made due to the panels’ unique curved shape. (WTOP/Kristi King)

The REACH will allow people to engage with the artistic process in the manner that feels best for them.

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As with all the new campus venues, the stage lights and video projector on the ceiling of the River Pavilion are designed so that the spaces can be “performance flexible.” (WTOP/Kristi King)

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The glass walls of the River Pavilion can be pushed open to create a performance area with lawn audience seating. (WTOP/Kristi King)

“Some people are very comfortable sitting and watching, don’t want to be asked to partake, don’t really have something they want to do,” van Leer said. “But other people want to get up and dance. They want to make music. They want to talk to the creators. This is about providing a whole extensive array of opportunities, which make that possible.”

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Several works of art are being installed at the Kennedy Center’s new addition, The REACH. (WTOP/Kristi King)

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This untitled work by Joel Shapiro is located at the video wall of The REACH, the Kennedy Center’s new addition. Movies, opera performances and other shows can be projected onto the wall. (WTOP/Kristi King)

The REACH and its unique collection of venues and spaces signal a move beyond the formality of solely attending a 6 p.m. event. People also are invited to enjoy the new campus’s public art, open spaces and River Pavilion, where they might relax at a bistro table with a coffee and pastry.

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At The REACH’S Ginkgo Grove, this life-size horse sculpture by Deborah Butterfield is made from pieces of driftwood from Montana. The form has been cast in bronze. (WTOP/Kristi King)

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Walkers and cyclists have access to The REACH via the pedestrian bridge that connects to the path along the Potomac River. There’s also a path that can be used to access the campus from the D.C. side of the Theodore Roosevelt Bridge. (WTOP/Kristi King)

“It’s those kinds of opportunities we’re adding to the broad campus experience of the Kennedy Center,” van Leer said. “You can explore the whole site and just make it a casual part of your day-to-day experience.”

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Part of the Kennedy Center’s expanded campus, The REACH, includes a pedestrian bridge that connects it to Rock Creek Trail. (WTOP/Kristi King)

Kristi King

Kristi King is a veteran reporter who has been working in the WTOP newsroom since 1990. She covers everything from breaking news to consumer concerns and the latest medical developments.