Vancouver, Washington has a symphony, but its only performance venue today is a local high school. To attract national touring groups and support the region’s artistic ambition, the city needs a dedicated, professional home for performance that expresses, by its very presence, that art is important. Our concept for the Southwest Washington Center for the Arts puts art on center stage through a simple, elegant, transparent form inspired by Philip Johnson’s 1949 Glass House. Located at Clark College on a highly visible site beside a meandering campus greenway known for spring cherry blossoms, the design reflects its natural setting while marking a new civic landmark for greater Vancouver. An arc of clear and colored glass becomes the project’s signature gesture, guiding visitors from the street side to the greenway side and echoing the curved buildings of campus. On the street, a thirty foot deep canopy reaches outward to reinforce the arc and shape a welcoming transition between the entry court and the lobby. Within, the glass wraps a luminous public experience, casting a warm glow around the main hall and creating a building that feels both grounded and radiant. Immediately inside, the Grand Gallery, defined by the glass arc, offers a world-class space for art display, social gathering, and performance. North facing glass and frosted ceiling glass maximize daylight, while interior display walls support curated exhibitions. Enclosed glass stairways extend the material experience upward into a pre-show suite and balcony seating, keeping patrons immersed in the building’s defining element. Broad wood forms at the ceiling and balcony recall Vancouver’s heritage as a center for lumber operations in the Pacific Northwest, balancing the clarity of glass with warmth and craft. Performance spaces anchor the plan, supported by lower level rehearsal and performer support areas, while a stepped terrace and outdoor performance platform engage the campus greenway. The mandate is clear: a beautiful, artistic, practical, and iconic structure that stands the test of time. With glass, metal, stone, and wood working together, the Southwest Washington Center for the Arts is envisioned as a source of community pride, where generations of artists and audiences will one day converge.