SWBR celebrates grand opening of $17.2 million RIT MAGIC Spell Studios project

Shown (from left) are: Matthew Weber, Caitlin Ellis, Ryan Zegarelli, Diana Kalvitis-Pannone, Dennis Jansen, Mark Maddalina, Megan Smith and Mark Kluczynski.

Rochester, NY Attendees celebrated the grand opening of the SWBR-designed RIT MAGIC Spell Studios, a new 52,000 s/f facility to converge strategic components of the university’s creative arts & media programs under one roof. The builder for the $17.2 million project was Welliver. Janson Tsai Design Associates was responsible for technical and acoustic design. “MAGIC Spell Studios is a landmark facility that uniquely embraces innovation, collaboration and entrepreneurship,” said SWBR principal Mark Maddalina. “It supports the convergence of computer game design, film, animation and digital media education in an inspiring, professional environment.”

The studio also provides students a hands-on, high-tech environment from which they can launch their own companies in the city, fueling an industry that has taken hold locally with entrepreneurial enterprises. Featuring a movie sound stage, sound-mixing studio, color correction studio, 180-seat Movie Theater and three (3) media development laboratories, MAGIC Spell Studios is the first academic commercialization studio of its kind in the northeast. 

“MAGIC Spell Studios will be a wonderful resource for our students and will also serve as an economic engine for the Finger Lakes region and New York State,” said RIT President David Munson. “The programs, labs and studios in MAGIC Spell will help build and retain a vibrant workforce and send exciting products into the marketplace.”