Architectural Polymers is proud to be part of the winning team for the 2024 PCI Awards Best K-12 Building Award Winner.
Transforming a Vision into a Cultural Landmark
The Aetos Center for the Performing Arts in Nixa, Missouri, stands as a state-of-the-art performing arts venue, educational space, and community hub. Designed by Dake Wells Architecture and built using a total-precast-concrete system from Prestressed Casting Company, the project combines form and function to deliver a stunning, durable, and energy-efficient facility.
Featuring a 1,150-seat theater, expansive lobby, and full production support areas, the center serves as a regional destination for both student and touring performances. The building’s precast concrete design not only solved complex site challenges but also gave the project its defining architectural character.
Architectural Design Rooted in Expression and Efficiency
The architecture of the Aetos Center captures the spirit of the performing arts through symbolic and expressive design. The steel-and-glass lobby creates a bright, welcoming entryway, while the building’s defining element—the “curtain”—takes shape as a textured precast concrete enclosure that unifies the performance and audience spaces.
“The precast concrete allowed us to do more with less,” said Kirk Dillon, Associate AIA, of Dake Wells. “It offered big spans, a minimal structural footprint, and durability while giving us design flexibility. That ability to elevate a building from purely functional to experiential changes how people see it.”
By merging architectural artistry with structural performance, the precast system helped the design team achieve a seamless balance between aesthetics and practicality.
Total-Precast Design Overcomes Site Challenges
Built in the middle of an active high school campus, the Aetos Center faced tight site constraints and limited access. The total-precast-concrete system proved invaluable, as panels were fabricated off-site, delivered ready to install, and erected with minimal disruption to school operations.
This approach not only accelerated the construction timeline but also ensured safety and efficiency on a crowded campus. The precast wall panels, up to eight inches thick with integrated insulation, provided thermal performance, structural integrity, and design flexibility in one efficient system.
Innovative Precast Concrete Craftsmanship
Prestressed Casting Company of Springfield, MO, brought the design vision to life through expert craftsmanship and material innovation. The exterior walls feature custom formliner patterns that create a sense of movement and depth, achieved with just two alternating designs and strategic stain application.
“This project created new opportunities to leverage total-precast-concrete design,” said Dave Robertson Jr., vice president of sales at Prestressed Casting Company. “From the long-span roof tees to tall, insulated wall panels, precast was key to achieving both architectural beauty and construction efficiency.”
In total, 129 precast concrete components were used across six distinct forms, with erection completed in only three months—a testament to the speed and precision of precast construction.
Precast Concrete Accelerates Construction and Enhances Performance
Construction of the Aetos Center was completed in less than two years, an impressive feat for a project of this scale and complexity. The precast system not only shortened the schedule but also reduced on-site labor needs and maintained the integrity of surrounding school operations.
The result is a building that performs as beautifully as it looks: watertight, thermally efficient, acoustically sound, and built to last for generations of performers and audiences.
Building a Lasting Cultural and Educational Legacy
The Aetos Center for the Performing Arts now serves as both an educational tool and a community gathering space. Students in drama, choir, dance, band, and even e-sports benefit from a facility designed to support creativity and collaboration.
“Though primarily a place for students and learning, it’s also a place for the community to interact with and celebrate the arts,” Dillon said. “With the ability to host regional and national shows, the center has become a true cultural epicenter for Nixa.”
The Power of Precast in Modern Architecture
The Aetos Center exemplifies how total-precast-concrete construction can merge architectural expression, structural efficiency, and community impact. By integrating aesthetic vision with engineering precision, the project demonstrates the transformative potential of precast concrete in modern educational and cultural architecture.
Learn more about this project on the PCI website.