TheatreSquared

The theater designed to make you feel welcome.

TheatreSquared’s new facility, completed in 2019, stands as a landmark in Fayetteville and Northwest Arkansas. The design features two intimate theaters, a versatile glass-enclosed performance space, and dedicated rehearsal studios, with prominent areas visible from the street to highlight the creative process. Board-formed architectural concrete wraps the theater volumes, providing acoustic isolation from nearby train noise. The building also includes guest artist apartments, staff offices, and the Commons Bar/Café, alongside inviting outdoor gathering spaces. This project, delivered on time and within budget, has not only become a cultural hub but also inspired significant downtown revitalization, influencing public investment in infrastructure and serving as a model for theaters nationwide.

The community living room. © Greg Maka
TheatreSquared Floor plans. © Marvel

"We're gonna have these 3 theatres coexisting as these perfect, isolated sound boxes, glued together by this beautiful, open, glassy, lively public space. But once you cross that threshold into those theatres, boom- you're in a different world."

Jonathan Marvel, Founding Principal at Marvel
The Mainstage in use. © Greg Maka
Marvel created a state-of-the-art mainstage and studio theatres capable of mounting complex, technically-challenging productions situated within acoustically soundproofed envelopes, a crucial consideration taking into account the nearby active railroad tracks.
Event Space in the Commons. © Greg Maka
Theatre 1. © Timothy Hursley
Low-iron glass surrounds the Commons, increasing transparency and connectivity to the street.
Exposed structural steel and building systems lay bare the workings of the building and encourage the perception of the space as approachable and unpretentious.

"It was about developing this balance of having a place that had the scale of gathering many people, but at the same time felt comfortable if you were just one or two people sitting and having a cup of coffee."

Lissa So, Partner at Marvel
The Grand Opening of TheatreSquared in the Commons. © Marvel
© Greg Maka
© Dero Sanford
© Dero Sanford
The cafe of the TheatreSquared ground floor is intended as an all-day community living room for the town, welcoming locals and visitors outside of performance times to make the building a community connector.

Unlike many theatres, open just before showtime, the new T2 is open all day—and the community has taken ownership.

© Timothy Hursley
The building has an integrated audiovisual and stage lighting system that extends into the lobby and common spaces allowing the building to flexibly accommodate future unforeseen performance opportunities in the public spaces.
Wood forms being removed. © Marvel
© Greg Maka
Industrial materials such as plywood and OSB clad back-of-house corridors, dressing rooms, and offices increasing the durability of the wall surfaces while encouraging the perception of the spaces as places to be used and lived in – a working theatre.
It was important for both the works TheatreSquared produces and for the building itself to be expressions of the Northwest Arkansas region.
© Greg Maka
At its core the building needed to be sensitive to its context, using local materials, empowering local craftspeople, and celebrating and protecting both the natural and built environments.

The theater designed to make you feel welcome.

TheatreSquared’s new facility, completed in 2019, stands as a landmark in Fayetteville and Northwest Arkansas. The design features two intimate theaters, a versatile glass-enclosed performance space, and dedicated rehearsal studios, with prominent areas visible from the street to highlight the creative process. Board-formed architectural concrete wraps the theater volumes, providing acoustic isolation from nearby train noise. The building also includes guest artist apartments, staff offices, and the Commons Bar/Café, alongside inviting outdoor gathering spaces. This project, delivered on time and within budget, has not only become a cultural hub but also inspired significant downtown revitalization, influencing public investment in infrastructure and serving as a model for theaters nationwide.

1516 TheatreSquared Greg Maka N77 medium
The community living room.
1516 TheatreSquared N167

"We're gonna have these 3 theatres coexisting as these perfect, isolated sound boxes, glued together by this beautiful, open, glassy, lively public space. But once you cross that threshold into those theatres, boom- you're in a different world."

Jonathan Marvel, Founding Principal at Marvel
1516 N92
Marvel created a state-of-the-art mainstage and studio theatres capable of mounting complex, technically-challenging productions situated within acoustically soundproofed envelopes, a crucial consideration taking into account the nearby active railroad tracks.
1516 TheatreSquared Greg Maka N4
1516 TheatreSquared Greg Maka N4 medium
Low-iron glass surrounds the Commons, increasing transparency and connectivity to the street.
1516 N29
Exposed structural steel and building systems lay bare the workings of the building and encourage the perception of the space as approachable and unpretentious.
1516 TheatreSquared Grand Opening 11

"It was really developing this balance of having a place that had the scale of gathering many many people, but at the same time felt very comfortable if you were just one or two people just sitting and having a cup of coffee."

Lissa So, Partner at Marvel
1516 N72
1516 Theatre Squared Dero Sanford N80 medium
The cafe of the TheatreSquared ground floor is intended as an all-day community living room for the town, welcoming locals and visitors outside of performance times to make the building a community connector.
1516 TheatreSquared Dero Sandford N82 medium
Unlike many theatres, open just before showtime, the new T2 is open all day—and the community has taken ownership.
1516 N33
The building has an integrated audiovisual and stage lighting system that extends into the lobby and common spaces allowing the building to flexibly accommodate future unforeseen performance opportunities in the public spaces.
1516 N103
Industrial materials such as plywood and OSB clad back-of-house corridors, dressing rooms, and offices increasing the durability of the wall surfaces while encouraging the perception of the spaces as places to be used and lived in – a working theatre.
1516 N70
It was important for both the works TheatreSquared produces and for the building itself to be expressions of the Northwest Arkansas region. This meant that at its core the building needed to be sensitive to its context, using local materials, empowering local craftspeople, and celebrating and protecting both the natural and built environments.
1516 N73
At its core the building needed to be sensitive to its context, using local materials, empowering local craftspeople, and celebrating and protecting both the natural and built environments.

TheatreSquared

The theater designed to make you feel welcome.

TheatreSquared’s new facility, completed in 2019, stands as a landmark in Fayetteville and Northwest Arkansas. The design features two intimate theaters, a versatile glass-enclosed performance space, and dedicated rehearsal studios, with prominent areas visible from the street to highlight the creative process. Board-formed architectural concrete wraps the theater volumes, providing acoustic isolation from nearby train noise. The building also includes guest artist apartments, staff offices, and the Commons Bar/Café, alongside inviting outdoor gathering spaces. This project, delivered on time and within budget, has not only become a cultural hub but also inspired significant downtown revitalization, influencing public investment in infrastructure and serving as a model for theaters nationwide.

The community living room. © Greg Maka
TheatreSquared Floor plans. © Marvel

"We're gonna have these 3 theatres coexisting as these perfect, isolated sound boxes, glued together by this beautiful, open, glassy, lively public space. But once you cross that threshold into those theatres, boom- you're in a different world."

Jonathan Marvel, Founding Principal at Marvel
The Mainstage in use. © Greg Maka
Marvel created a state-of-the-art mainstage and studio theatres capable of mounting complex, technically-challenging productions situated within acoustically soundproofed envelopes, a crucial consideration taking into account the nearby active railroad tracks.
Event Space in the Commons. © Greg Maka
Theatre 1. © Timothy Hursley
Low-iron glass surrounds the Commons, increasing transparency and connectivity to the street.
Exposed structural steel and building systems lay bare the workings of the building and encourage the perception of the space as approachable and unpretentious.

"It was about developing this balance of having a place that had the scale of gathering many people, but at the same time felt comfortable if you were just one or two people sitting and having a cup of coffee."

Lissa So, Partner at Marvel
The Grand Opening of TheatreSquared in the Commons. © Marvel
© Greg Maka
© Dero Sanford
© Dero Sanford
The cafe of the TheatreSquared ground floor is intended as an all-day community living room for the town, welcoming locals and visitors outside of performance times to make the building a community connector.

Unlike many theatres, open just before showtime, the new T2 is open all day—and the community has taken ownership.

© Timothy Hursley
The building has an integrated audiovisual and stage lighting system that extends into the lobby and common spaces allowing the building to flexibly accommodate future unforeseen performance opportunities in the public spaces.
Wood forms being removed. © Marvel
© Greg Maka
Industrial materials such as plywood and OSB clad back-of-house corridors, dressing rooms, and offices increasing the durability of the wall surfaces while encouraging the perception of the spaces as places to be used and lived in – a working theatre.
It was important for both the works TheatreSquared produces and for the building itself to be expressions of the Northwest Arkansas region.
© Greg Maka
At its core the building needed to be sensitive to its context, using local materials, empowering local craftspeople, and celebrating and protecting both the natural and built environments.

The theater designed to make you feel welcome.

TheatreSquared’s new facility, completed in 2019, stands as a landmark in Fayetteville and Northwest Arkansas. The design features two intimate theaters, a versatile glass-enclosed performance space, and dedicated rehearsal studios, with prominent areas visible from the street to highlight the creative process. Board-formed architectural concrete wraps the theater volumes, providing acoustic isolation from nearby train noise. The building also includes guest artist apartments, staff offices, and the Commons Bar/Café, alongside inviting outdoor gathering spaces. This project, delivered on time and within budget, has not only become a cultural hub but also inspired significant downtown revitalization, influencing public investment in infrastructure and serving as a model for theaters nationwide.

1516 TheatreSquared Greg Maka N77 medium
The community living room.
1516 TheatreSquared N167

"We're gonna have these 3 theatres coexisting as these perfect, isolated sound boxes, glued together by this beautiful, open, glassy, lively public space. But once you cross that threshold into those theatres, boom- you're in a different world."

Jonathan Marvel, Founding Principal at Marvel
1516 N92
Marvel created a state-of-the-art mainstage and studio theatres capable of mounting complex, technically-challenging productions situated within acoustically soundproofed envelopes, a crucial consideration taking into account the nearby active railroad tracks.
1516 TheatreSquared Greg Maka N4
1516 TheatreSquared Greg Maka N4 medium
Low-iron glass surrounds the Commons, increasing transparency and connectivity to the street.
1516 N29
Exposed structural steel and building systems lay bare the workings of the building and encourage the perception of the space as approachable and unpretentious.
1516 TheatreSquared Grand Opening 11

"It was really developing this balance of having a place that had the scale of gathering many many people, but at the same time felt very comfortable if you were just one or two people just sitting and having a cup of coffee."

Lissa So, Partner at Marvel
1516 N72
1516 Theatre Squared Dero Sanford N80 medium
The cafe of the TheatreSquared ground floor is intended as an all-day community living room for the town, welcoming locals and visitors outside of performance times to make the building a community connector.
1516 TheatreSquared Dero Sandford N82 medium
Unlike many theatres, open just before showtime, the new T2 is open all day—and the community has taken ownership.
1516 N33
The building has an integrated audiovisual and stage lighting system that extends into the lobby and common spaces allowing the building to flexibly accommodate future unforeseen performance opportunities in the public spaces.
1516 N103
Industrial materials such as plywood and OSB clad back-of-house corridors, dressing rooms, and offices increasing the durability of the wall surfaces while encouraging the perception of the spaces as places to be used and lived in – a working theatre.
1516 N70
It was important for both the works TheatreSquared produces and for the building itself to be expressions of the Northwest Arkansas region. This meant that at its core the building needed to be sensitive to its context, using local materials, empowering local craftspeople, and celebrating and protecting both the natural and built environments.
1516 N73
At its core the building needed to be sensitive to its context, using local materials, empowering local craftspeople, and celebrating and protecting both the natural and built environments.

TheatreSquared

The theater designed to make you feel welcome.

TheatreSquared’s new facility, completed in 2019, stands as a landmark in Fayetteville and Northwest Arkansas. The design features two intimate theaters, a versatile glass-enclosed performance space, and dedicated rehearsal studios, with prominent areas visible from the street to highlight the creative process. Board-formed architectural concrete wraps the theater volumes, providing acoustic isolation from nearby train noise. The building also includes guest artist apartments, staff offices, and the Commons Bar/Café, alongside inviting outdoor gathering spaces. This project, delivered on time and within budget, has not only become a cultural hub but also inspired significant downtown revitalization, influencing public investment in infrastructure and serving as a model for theaters nationwide.

The community living room. © Greg Maka
TheatreSquared Floor plans. © Marvel

"We're gonna have these 3 theatres coexisting as these perfect, isolated sound boxes, glued together by this beautiful, open, glassy, lively public space. But once you cross that threshold into those theatres, boom- you're in a different world."

Jonathan Marvel, Founding Principal at Marvel
The Mainstage in use. © Greg Maka
Marvel created a state-of-the-art mainstage and studio theatres capable of mounting complex, technically-challenging productions situated within acoustically soundproofed envelopes, a crucial consideration taking into account the nearby active railroad tracks.
Event Space in the Commons. © Greg Maka
Theatre 1. © Timothy Hursley
Low-iron glass surrounds the Commons, increasing transparency and connectivity to the street.
Exposed structural steel and building systems lay bare the workings of the building and encourage the perception of the space as approachable and unpretentious.

"It was about developing this balance of having a place that had the scale of gathering many people, but at the same time felt comfortable if you were just one or two people sitting and having a cup of coffee."

Lissa So, Partner at Marvel
The Grand Opening of TheatreSquared in the Commons. © Marvel
© Greg Maka
© Dero Sanford
© Dero Sanford
The cafe of the TheatreSquared ground floor is intended as an all-day community living room for the town, welcoming locals and visitors outside of performance times to make the building a community connector.

Unlike many theatres, open just before showtime, the new T2 is open all day—and the community has taken ownership.

© Timothy Hursley
The building has an integrated audiovisual and stage lighting system that extends into the lobby and common spaces allowing the building to flexibly accommodate future unforeseen performance opportunities in the public spaces.
Wood forms being removed. © Marvel
© Greg Maka
Industrial materials such as plywood and OSB clad back-of-house corridors, dressing rooms, and offices increasing the durability of the wall surfaces while encouraging the perception of the spaces as places to be used and lived in – a working theatre.
It was important for both the works TheatreSquared produces and for the building itself to be expressions of the Northwest Arkansas region.
© Greg Maka
At its core the building needed to be sensitive to its context, using local materials, empowering local craftspeople, and celebrating and protecting both the natural and built environments.

The theater designed to make you feel welcome.

TheatreSquared’s new facility, completed in 2019, stands as a landmark in Fayetteville and Northwest Arkansas. The design features two intimate theaters, a versatile glass-enclosed performance space, and dedicated rehearsal studios, with prominent areas visible from the street to highlight the creative process. Board-formed architectural concrete wraps the theater volumes, providing acoustic isolation from nearby train noise. The building also includes guest artist apartments, staff offices, and the Commons Bar/Café, alongside inviting outdoor gathering spaces. This project, delivered on time and within budget, has not only become a cultural hub but also inspired significant downtown revitalization, influencing public investment in infrastructure and serving as a model for theaters nationwide.

1516 TheatreSquared Greg Maka N77 medium
The community living room.
1516 TheatreSquared N167

"We're gonna have these 3 theatres coexisting as these perfect, isolated sound boxes, glued together by this beautiful, open, glassy, lively public space. But once you cross that threshold into those theatres, boom- you're in a different world."

Jonathan Marvel, Founding Principal at Marvel
1516 N92
Marvel created a state-of-the-art mainstage and studio theatres capable of mounting complex, technically-challenging productions situated within acoustically soundproofed envelopes, a crucial consideration taking into account the nearby active railroad tracks.
1516 TheatreSquared Greg Maka N4
1516 TheatreSquared Greg Maka N4 medium
Low-iron glass surrounds the Commons, increasing transparency and connectivity to the street.
1516 N29
Exposed structural steel and building systems lay bare the workings of the building and encourage the perception of the space as approachable and unpretentious.
1516 TheatreSquared Grand Opening 11

"It was really developing this balance of having a place that had the scale of gathering many many people, but at the same time felt very comfortable if you were just one or two people just sitting and having a cup of coffee."

Lissa So, Partner at Marvel
1516 N72
1516 Theatre Squared Dero Sanford N80 medium
The cafe of the TheatreSquared ground floor is intended as an all-day community living room for the town, welcoming locals and visitors outside of performance times to make the building a community connector.
1516 TheatreSquared Dero Sandford N82 medium
Unlike many theatres, open just before showtime, the new T2 is open all day—and the community has taken ownership.
1516 N33
The building has an integrated audiovisual and stage lighting system that extends into the lobby and common spaces allowing the building to flexibly accommodate future unforeseen performance opportunities in the public spaces.
1516 N103
Industrial materials such as plywood and OSB clad back-of-house corridors, dressing rooms, and offices increasing the durability of the wall surfaces while encouraging the perception of the spaces as places to be used and lived in – a working theatre.
1516 N70
It was important for both the works TheatreSquared produces and for the building itself to be expressions of the Northwest Arkansas region. This meant that at its core the building needed to be sensitive to its context, using local materials, empowering local craftspeople, and celebrating and protecting both the natural and built environments.
1516 N73
At its core the building needed to be sensitive to its context, using local materials, empowering local craftspeople, and celebrating and protecting both the natural and built environments.

Location

Fayetteville, AR

Client

TheatreSquared

Typology

Size

50,000 SF

Design Team

Jonathan Marvel, Lissa So, Zachary Griffin, Ariel Poliner, Enrique Ramon, Mabel Plasencia, Bell Ying Cai, Siyuan Ye

Awards

Winner of eight industry awards including the AIA New York Chapter Design Award AIA New York Chapter Design Award: Architecture Merit Award, USITT 2023 Architecture Award, USITT 2022 Architecture Award, CAAPPR XV Biennial of Architecture - Honorable Mention Built Category, AIA New York State Design Award Institutional Category, Chicago Athenaeum American Architecture Award, Interior Design Magazine Best of Year Honoree in Entertainment Category, Regional Impact Award for Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce.

Consultants

Marvel (Architect), Charcoalblue (Theater Design, Stage Lighting, Stage Engineering, Acoustics, AV), Silman (Structural Engineer), Buro Happold (MEP Engineer), McClelland Engineers (Site/Civil), Jim Conti (Architectural Lighting), Code Consultants Professional Engineers (Code Consultants), Dharam Consulting (Cost Estimation), Baldwin & Shell (Construction Manager)