Protected: The New Doris Duke Theatre at Jacob’s Pillow

Capturing the magic of Jacob's Pillow.

The reimagined Doris Duke Theatre builds on the rich history of the site and the former Doris Duke Theatre. The project embraces the Pillow’s diverse history to create a space for dialogue, collaboration and education that is accessible, inclusive and flexible. This balance between embracing the site and nature while pushing the boundaries of dance embodies the ambition for the Theatre and captures the magic of performing at Jacob's Pillow. Mecanoo, led by Creative Director and Founding Partner Francine Houben, is the lead architect for the new building project, in partnership with Marvel working as the architect of record and landscape architects.

© Iwan Baan
The distinct identity of Jacob's Pillow comes from a rich history of both the site and festival.

“The theater’s wooden box is all about transparency—what you see is what’s holding it up. We used cross-laminated timber not only for its beauty, but also because it helped us to build sustainably. It’s rare for the structure itself to become the finish—and that’s part of what gives the space its warmth and vitality.”

Danielle Cerone, Director at Marvel
© Iwan Baan, Courtesy of Jacob's Pillow
The theater adapts to difference programmatic needs and is a fusion of technology, innovation and tradition.
© Iwan Baan, Courtesy of Jacob's Pillow
© Iwan Baan
At the core the theater is a versatile black box space to support a wide range of artistic expressions.
It is a hub where dance will thrive.

“At our very first site visit, we fell in love with the existing outdoor dance platform that magically cantilevers into the Berkshire landscape. When our Indigenous collaborator Jeffrey Gibson gave us the design guideline ‘where the land meets thesky,’ we knew this project would be organic, borrowing from the woods and distanthills.”

Jonathan Marvel, Founding Principal at Marvel
© Iwan Baan, Courtesy of Jacob's Pillow
Our vision blurs the boundaries between inside and outside, creating a series of transitions from exterior verandas to the lobbies and then theater.
The building plays with scale, light and permeability.
This creates a new relationship between the theater and the land and enhances the flexibility for the new theater and its use as a studio, performance venue, and workshop space.
Our vision blurs the boundaries between inside and outside, creating a series of transitions from exterior verandas to the lobbies and then theater.

120-130 Tagline (typically first sentence of short description)

Short marketing description from CMAP (website)

IMAGE PLACE HOLDER
caption here
IMAGE PLACE HOLDER
caption here
IMAGE PLACE HOLDER

"We need to get a quote from an article or from someone on the team that relates to the variety of seating and performance plans"

First Last, Title at Company
IMAGE PLACE HOLDER
caption here
IMAGE PLACE HOLDER
caption here
IMAGE PLACE HOLDER
caption here
IMAGE PLACE HOLDER
caption here

Protected: The New Doris Duke Theatre at Jacob’s Pillow

Capturing the magic of Jacob's Pillow.

The reimagined Doris Duke Theatre builds on the rich history of the site and the former Doris Duke Theatre. The project embraces the Pillow’s diverse history to create a space for dialogue, collaboration and education that is accessible, inclusive and flexible. This balance between embracing the site and nature while pushing the boundaries of dance embodies the ambition for the Theatre and captures the magic of performing at Jacob's Pillow. Mecanoo, led by Creative Director and Founding Partner Francine Houben, is the lead architect for the new building project, in partnership with Marvel working as the architect of record and landscape architects.

© Iwan Baan
The distinct identity of Jacob's Pillow comes from a rich history of both the site and festival.

“The theater’s wooden box is all about transparency—what you see is what’s holding it up. We used cross-laminated timber not only for its beauty, but also because it helped us to build sustainably. It’s rare for the structure itself to become the finish—and that’s part of what gives the space its warmth and vitality.”

Danielle Cerone, Director at Marvel
© Iwan Baan, Courtesy of Jacob's Pillow
The theater adapts to difference programmatic needs and is a fusion of technology, innovation and tradition.
© Iwan Baan, Courtesy of Jacob's Pillow
© Iwan Baan
At the core the theater is a versatile black box space to support a wide range of artistic expressions.
It is a hub where dance will thrive.

“At our very first site visit, we fell in love with the existing outdoor dance platform that magically cantilevers into the Berkshire landscape. When our Indigenous collaborator Jeffrey Gibson gave us the design guideline ‘where the land meets thesky,’ we knew this project would be organic, borrowing from the woods and distanthills.”

Jonathan Marvel, Founding Principal at Marvel
© Iwan Baan, Courtesy of Jacob's Pillow
Our vision blurs the boundaries between inside and outside, creating a series of transitions from exterior verandas to the lobbies and then theater.
The building plays with scale, light and permeability.
This creates a new relationship between the theater and the land and enhances the flexibility for the new theater and its use as a studio, performance venue, and workshop space.
Our vision blurs the boundaries between inside and outside, creating a series of transitions from exterior verandas to the lobbies and then theater.

120-130 Tagline (typically first sentence of short description)

Short marketing description from CMAP (website)

IMAGE PLACE HOLDER
caption here
IMAGE PLACE HOLDER
caption here
IMAGE PLACE HOLDER

"We need to get a quote from an article or from someone on the team that relates to the variety of seating and performance plans"

First Last, Title at Company
IMAGE PLACE HOLDER
caption here
IMAGE PLACE HOLDER
caption here
IMAGE PLACE HOLDER
caption here
IMAGE PLACE HOLDER
caption here

Protected: The New Doris Duke Theatre at Jacob’s Pillow

Capturing the magic of Jacob's Pillow.

The reimagined Doris Duke Theatre builds on the rich history of the site and the former Doris Duke Theatre. The project embraces the Pillow’s diverse history to create a space for dialogue, collaboration and education that is accessible, inclusive and flexible. This balance between embracing the site and nature while pushing the boundaries of dance embodies the ambition for the Theatre and captures the magic of performing at Jacob's Pillow. Mecanoo, led by Creative Director and Founding Partner Francine Houben, is the lead architect for the new building project, in partnership with Marvel working as the architect of record and landscape architects.

© Iwan Baan
The distinct identity of Jacob's Pillow comes from a rich history of both the site and festival.

“The theater’s wooden box is all about transparency—what you see is what’s holding it up. We used cross-laminated timber not only for its beauty, but also because it helped us to build sustainably. It’s rare for the structure itself to become the finish—and that’s part of what gives the space its warmth and vitality.”

Danielle Cerone, Director at Marvel
© Iwan Baan, Courtesy of Jacob's Pillow
The theater adapts to difference programmatic needs and is a fusion of technology, innovation and tradition.
© Iwan Baan, Courtesy of Jacob's Pillow
© Iwan Baan
At the core the theater is a versatile black box space to support a wide range of artistic expressions.
It is a hub where dance will thrive.

“At our very first site visit, we fell in love with the existing outdoor dance platform that magically cantilevers into the Berkshire landscape. When our Indigenous collaborator Jeffrey Gibson gave us the design guideline ‘where the land meets thesky,’ we knew this project would be organic, borrowing from the woods and distanthills.”

Jonathan Marvel, Founding Principal at Marvel
© Iwan Baan, Courtesy of Jacob's Pillow
Our vision blurs the boundaries between inside and outside, creating a series of transitions from exterior verandas to the lobbies and then theater.
The building plays with scale, light and permeability.
This creates a new relationship between the theater and the land and enhances the flexibility for the new theater and its use as a studio, performance venue, and workshop space.
Our vision blurs the boundaries between inside and outside, creating a series of transitions from exterior verandas to the lobbies and then theater.

120-130 Tagline (typically first sentence of short description)

Short marketing description from CMAP (website)

IMAGE PLACE HOLDER
caption here
IMAGE PLACE HOLDER
caption here
IMAGE PLACE HOLDER

"We need to get a quote from an article or from someone on the team that relates to the variety of seating and performance plans"

First Last, Title at Company
IMAGE PLACE HOLDER
caption here
IMAGE PLACE HOLDER
caption here
IMAGE PLACE HOLDER
caption here
IMAGE PLACE HOLDER
caption here

Location

Becket, MA

Client

Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival

Typology

Size

Landscape: 2 acres; Architecture: 19,300 SF

Design Team

Jonathan Marvel, Danielle Cerone, Yadiel Rivera-Díaz, Juan Guzman Palacios, Erin Kelly, Daniel Eizo

Consultants

Mecanoo (Designer), Silman (Structure), Charcoalblue (Theater Consultant), Jeffrey Gibson (Indigenous Artist), Alteri (MEP/FP), FMS (lighting), CCI (Code and Accessibility), MwSkins (Facade), Foresight (Civil)