Founded 1962 — New York

Architecture for
the visual and
the performing arts

H3 designs theaters, performing arts centers, and cultural facilities that transform institutions and anchor communities. We are the inheritors of Hugh Hardy’s singular legacy.

View our work
62
Years in practice
40+
Performing arts projects built
15+
University arts centers
NYC
Theatre for a New Audience & the BAM Cultural District
From our clients

“H3 took our vision — that all the theatre’s elements, its configuration, acoustics, sightlines, and uniformity of color — combine to create a level of intimacy between audience and performer, and result in what we consider to be the ultimate black box theatre.”

— Dorothy Ryan, Managing Director, Theatre for a New Audience

“H3 was able to understand this building’s original intent and how to ensure its adaptation for use in the twenty-first century. The illuminated volume of the new theater energizes the entire façade seen at night across the great plaza. We regard ourselves as fortunate to have had this long term working relationship.”

— Bernard Gersten, Executive Producer, Lincoln Center Theater

“To find an architecture firm as gifted as H3 is a great boon to any institution making a long-term investment in the arts.”

— Maya E. Roth, Chair, Department of Performing Arts, Georgetown University

“Using both restoration and new construction, the design illustrates H3's ability to interpret BAM's complex needs and embody its vigorous character. H3's work has unquestionably helped BAM achieve its long term goal of not only being a Brooklyn icon, but an organization with a great range of buildings that enjoys a national and international reputation.”

— Karen Brooks Hopkins, President Emerita, Brooklyn Academy of Music

“Schuster Hall has exceeded our expectations in every way. Our students and faculty now have access to one of America's top concert and recording venues. Not only does this have a positive impact on the university, but it also speaks to our mission where Wright State promises to provide cultural enhancement to the entire community.”

— Vicky Davidson, Associate Vice President, Wright State University

“H3 is completely redesigning our public spaces to celebrate and facilitate the myriad of diverse activities our programs now generate. We will be able to present contemporary design ideas as part of the audience experience in this one hundred-thirteen year old theater.”

— Cora Cahan, President, The New 42nd Street

Expertise
Theater design

New construction, renovation, and restoration of performance venues of every scale — from intimate black boxes to 3,000-seat houses. Every project begins with the performers and the audience, not the envelope.

University arts centers

Academic performing arts facilities that serve students, faculty, and the broader community simultaneously — balancing education, production values, and the earned revenue goals that sustain every institution.

Historic theater renewal

Deep expertise in restoring and modernizing landmark theaters — inserting 21st-century production technology while honoring the original design intent. We have worked on some of New York’s most beloved houses.

Cultural institutions

Museums, libraries, civic centers, and parks that become places of gathering. We design for the public realm because we believe place-making builds communities.

Acoustics & technical systems

Adjustable acoustics, state-of-the-art lighting, audio and video integration, flexible seating configurations, and backstage planning that supports the full range of professional production demands.

Programming & feasibility

We partner with institutions at the earliest stages — conducting needs assessments, site analyses, and community engagement processes that form the foundation of projects built to last.

In the press

Architectural Record

Theatre for a New Audience brings a powerful new presence to the BAM Cultural District

The New York Times

A theater built for the work — not the spectacle

American Theatre

H3’s Alabama performing arts center sets a new standard for academic facilities

Architect Magazine

The Hugh Hardy legacy: sixty years of architecture in the public realm

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