Before Chestnut Street and the exterior of the Music Hall was re-envisioned by TFLA, the Music Hall opened directly to the street and provided no transition space for those exiting the theater. TFLA created a pedestrian experience for Music Hall patrons by removing curbs, creating defined gathering spaces with stone seating, and leveling grades. The space is well-lit and softened with vegetation, and a sculptural arch at the intersection of Chestnut Street brings attention to the Music Hall and creates a gateway  to this important location in Portsmouth.

The proposed design seizes the opportunity to solve the safety issues and create a beneficial exterior plaza immediately outside theater. The plaza is defined by sculptural sitting walls and plant masses at the plaza corners. Awkward curbs are then removed and the existing street grades are made more level.

Theater goers can then extend the theater experience simply by sitting on the new walls in a well lit and vegetated space and engage others informally. In this way, the new plaza can accommodate impromptu gatherings, while vehicular traffic is maintained--- but slowed---by the plaza elements.

The arch is based on design elements from the historic doorways, architecture, and furniture pediments of Portsmouth. As such, it creates a strong sense of threshold, directing people to not just the Music Hall, but the African Burial Ground and other cultural entities too. Beyond the historic references, the arch also has muscular detailing similar to the new Memorial Bridge, like prominent nuts and bolts, and will serve a valuable way-finding function for city visitors.