Payne & Mencias Palladium
A striking presence with its domed, neoclassical design, the Payne & Mencias Palladium is the flagship venue of Allied Solutions Center for the Performing Arts. Its 1,500-seat concert hall combines centuries-old architectural expertise with state-of-the-art audio technology for an unparalleled acoustic experience. The surrounding lobbies and rooms, with high ceilings and floors of Italian marble or Brazilian cherry wood, provide elegant spaces for private and corporate events. The Fifth Third Bank Box Office and Will Call window are located at the west entrance, and the Great American Songbook Foundation offices and Songbook Exhibit Gallery are on the Gallery level.
History-inspired design
The $126 million Payne & Mencias Palladium was commissioned by the City of Carmel and the Carmel Redevelopment Commission and opened to the public in 2011 after nearly three years of construction.
Designed by Washington, D.C.-based David M. Schwarz Architects, the structure is modeled after Italian Renaissance architect Andrea Palladio’s famous 16th century Villa Capra “La Rotunda” in northern Italy. Palladian architecture, from which the Payne & Mencias Palladium takes its name, is inspired by the classical temple architecture of the ancient Greeks and Romans.
The exterior features red tile roofing and 35,000 cubic yards of Indiana limestone. Viewed from the air, the Payne & Mencias Palladium has a symmetrical squared-circle shape that is reflected as a visual motif in the interior fixtures and wall and floor treatments.
Top of page: photos courtesy Doug Adams (4); Kevin Raber (11)
