Gabled Torus

Gabled Torus is a series of barn-shaped volumes that collectively form a circular courtyard that facilitates a dance theatre. The Torus embeds itself in the ecology of the Berkshires where it is located to enrich the experience of both visitors and performers and their connection to the forest. Situated on the north side of the Jacob’s Pillow campus, Gabled Torus embeds itself into an existing network of paths through the site and creates porosity through its volumes by drawing paths between them into the courtyard.

In the courtyard, the theatre is found, penetrating through the circular form of the rest of the building (studios, scene shop, dressing rooms, and storage to the north, and the document and prop archive to the south). An outdoor dance floor extends beyond the roof of the theatre in both directions, with tracks upon it to facilitate two movable pavilions that enable shading, shelter, and rigging in the outdoor season when performances can be put on in either in the courtyard or on the outside of the torus, surrounded by the forest. The Theatre also features two sets of large hydraulic doors that seal off the theatre and allow for regulation of climate control inside for performances and practice during the winter months or when being outdoors is not desirable.

Completed while studying at Syracuse University

Type: Cultural

Location: Becket, Massachusetts

Size: 2.500m2

Date: Spring 2021

Team: Veronica Marz

Professor: Roger Hubeli