Jun 2, 2026 _ news

The Emery Theater Renovation Wins Preservation Champion Award

We are thrilled to share that our renovation of the Emery Theater, home of The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati (TCT) has been honored by Cincinnati Preservation with its Preservation Champion Award.

At the awards ceremony, Beth Johnson, executive director of Cincinnati Preservation, framed the recognition this way: “The Preservation Champion Award is unique among our honors. It recognizes individuals, organizations, or projects that demonstrate a long-term dedication to historic preservation and have made a significant impact on the Greater Cincinnati region. At its core, this award is about influence—those who not only do the work, but elevate it, expanding what preservation can be and ensuring its relevance for future generations.”

Opened in 1911, the Emery Theater stands as one of Cincinnati’s most significant cultural landmarks—a space where architecture, innovation, and civic life came together in a way that was ahead of its time. Originally designed as a premier concert hall, it set a new standard for performance spaces, with groundbreaking acoustics, unobstructed sightlines, and a design that prioritized the experience of every audience member. But like many historic spaces, its future was uncertain. After more than 30 years of vacancy, the building faced significant deterioration. The challenge was not just to restore it—but to reimagine it in a way that would ensure its continued relevance and to turn it into a lasting and permanent home for TCT.

Today, the Emery Theater’s beautifully ornamented historic fabric has been woven together with distinctly modern technology to produce an immersive, ever-changing experience that cultivates childlike wonder long before the curtain rises. An expanded lobby highlights features of the historic box office and marble-lined foyer, mingling the building’s antique interiors with neon signs, color-changing walls, and theatrical props.

Thank you to Cincinnati Preservation for recognizing the craft and care that have gone into this project.

Learn more about the award here.

Read our project case study here.

See more of our arts work here.