Client: Town of Acton

Scope: Public park including an amphitheater with a performance stage

The parkland is reclaimed from an old quarry that supplied crushed stone to Boston’s “Big Dig” project. The centerpiece is the gently sloping amphitheater, which can accommodate 2,500 in a sculpted green bowl. In our work, architecture and landscape are often intertwined; here, nature takes center stage: the performance shed, intended for concerts and summer stock theater, is see-through from all sides. It is designed for a supporting role: to keep the eye focused on the surrounding landscape. The scattering of columns suggest a natural forest. Elsewhere, the architecture has a rustic feel, an intentional contrast to the fine geometries of the architectural plan.

Materials: Pigmented concrete; steel; western red cedar; copper

Awards:
American Institute of Architects New England, Award for Design Excellence
Boston Society of Architects, Design Honor Award

Photographer: Chuck Choi Architectural Photography