The first images of the design for the Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival (HVSF) building by Studio Gang have been unveiled; and its flowing, timber structure underpins the project's ambition to be the very first purpose-built LEED Platinum theatre in the USA. At the same time, the scheme, located in Garrison, NY, and with a site plan and landscape architecture by Nelson Byrd Woltz Landscape Architects, aims to become not just a hub for the local performing arts community, but also a key cultural draw for the entire Hudson Valley.
Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival building: a new, sustainable, cultural hub
The 13,850 sq ft structure is the centrepiece within a 98-acre campus, gifted to HVSF to use and maintain. Its curved, timber-framed grid shell and timber columns form a welcoming 'hug' for performances within, while framing natural vistas across the estate.
'HVSF is such a beloved cultural institution, with a truly unique natural setting in the Hudson Valley,' said Studio Gang founding principal and partner Jeanne Gang (who features in the Wallpaper* USA 300 guide to creative America). 'Our design aims to help the company build on their strengths, with low-carbon architecture that improves daily functionality and amplifies the traditions that define their open-air performances – like the spectacular proscenium arch framing an iconic Hudson River view – as well as create new opportunities for audiences and actors to interact before and after the show.'
'The ecology of the site also receives a new level of care, replacing a monocultural lawn with a biodiverse landscape that brings resiliency, wildlife, and seasonal beauty for all to enjoy.'
The site plan, by Nelson Byrd Woltz Landscape Architects
Within the design, the main, open-air theatre is complemented by several pavilions that include a back-of-house facility, a concession building, and standalone public restrooms.
Groundbreaking on site is scheduled for 2024.
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