Doris Duke Theater
The original 8,500 square foot Doris Duke Theater was a cultural mainstay in Becket, Massachusetts, and beyond for thirty years. Tragically, it was lost to a fire of undetermined cause in November 2020. Jacob's Pillow, a 220-acre National Historic Landmark that is also home to the nation's longest-running international dance festival, has taken it upon itself to rebuild and expand it to 20,000 square feet it with the aid of a dream design team and Allegrone's construction experts.
- Preconstruction
- Construction Management
The dance of the future
Jacob's Pillow is headed into their second century, and this theater will become a large part of its legacy. It is their goal to create a space that can be a global crossroads for dance, community, and digital exploration. The site will be where the future of dance comes to life with technology, while also respecting the tradition that informed dance's progression.
Imagined, made real
Rainwater harvesting, energy-efficient systems, advanced technological capabilities, flexible performance spaces, and accessible design have been carefully blended into the final product. Even the shape of the building and the way light plays with it have been deeply considered. More specifically, this Cross-Laminated Timber and Glulam superstructure will feature sustainable thermally treated Lunawood siding, a green roof, two lobbies with a collapsible glass façade (Nanawall), and modular seating.
All those features coalesce into a space that can be used all year as this technological marvel effortlessly morphs from an indoor to an outdoor venue.
[The new theater is anticipated to be completed in 2025]
Renderings courtesy of Mecanoo Architects and Marvel
The design creates a year-round space that will serve as an incubator for a new generation of artists seeking to integrate technology into live performance and create art native to the digital realm.”
Executive & Artistic Director, Jacob's Pillow
Jacob's Pillow breaks ground on the rebuild of the Doris Duke Theatre, a flexible theater on the site of the original theatre, which was lost to a fire of undetermined cause in November 2020.
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Renovation of the Ted Shawn Theatre brings the beloved performance space into the 21st century, while prioritizing the preservation of what made the theater so special for 70 years.
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