| Mabel Shaw Bridges Music Auditorium | |
|---|---|
 | |
 Interactive map of the Mabel Shaw Bridges Music Auditorium area | |
| Alternative names | Big Bridges |
| General information | |
| Type | Auditorium |
| Architectural style | Renaissance Revival[1] |
| Location | 450 N. College Way,Claremont, California, United States |
| Coordinates | 34°05′53″N117°42′44″W / 34.09806°N 117.71222°W /34.09806; -117.71222 |
| Named for | Mabel Shaw Bridges |
| Construction started | 1930[2] |
| Completed | 1931[2] |
| Opened | 1932[1] |
| Renovated | 1975[1] |
| Cost | $650,000[3] |
| Owner | Pomona College |
| Height | 28.9 m (95 ft) |
| Technical details | |
| Material | Steel, reinforced concrete[3] |
| Floor area | 60,000 square feet (5,600 m2) |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | William Templeton Johnson[1] |
| Other information | |
| Seating capacity | 2,494[1] |
| Public transit access | Claremont |
| Website | |
| pomona | |
TheMabel Shaw Bridges Music Auditorium, more commonly known asBridges Auditorium orBig Bridges (to distinguish it from nearbyBridges Hall of Music, known as Little Bridges[4]), is a 2,500-seatauditorium atPomona College inClaremont, California, United States. It was designed byWilliam Templeton Johnson and opened in 1932. It hosts a variety of performances for the college and outside groups.
The auditorium was built as a joint project of theClaremont Colleges consortium. It was sponsored by Appleton and Amelia (nee Timken) Bridges, the parents of Mabel Shaw Bridges, a student in Pomona's class of 1908 who died of illness in her junior year,[5] andH.H. Timken, president of theTimken Roller Bearing Company.[2][6]
From its completion until the opening of theDorothy Chandler Pavilion in 1964, it was arguably the premier destination of choice for prominent visitors toSouthern 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] TheLos Angeles Philharmonic frequently performed there.[7]
The auditorium was renovated from 1975 to 1977 forseismic 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 2015environmental impact report from the college identifies it as eligible for listing on theNational Register of Historic Places,[13] although as of 2020[update] the college has not yet applied for it to be listed. John Neiuber, writing for theClaremont Courier in 2017, expressed surprise it is not listed.[14]
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 aRenaissance Revival style modeled after northern Italy,[1] and incorporatesArt Deco elements.[5] It has largeporticos on its front and sides with arched columns,[15] and a large formally adornedfoyer inside the main entrance. The building'sfrieze features the names of five eminent composers;[2] itwas the target of a famous 1975 prank in which the one forFrédéric Chopin was replaced with one honoringFrank Zappa.[16][8][17]
The auditorium has a capacity of 2,494 people, including a 500-seatcantilevered 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]
| External image | |
|---|---|
 Interior of Big Bridges, showing the ceiling mural |
A mural by Italian-American artistJohn B. Smeraldi covers the 22,000-square-foot (2,000 m2) parabolic domed ceiling of the auditorium.[1] It depicts a variety ofconstellations insilver andgold leaf[19] against a pale blue background.[2]
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]
