TheatreSquared | Fayetteville, Arkansas | 2018

Architects: Marvel Architects
Client: TheatreSquared
Photographers: George Maka and Timothy Hursley
Design Team: Jonathan Marvel, Lissa So, Zachary Griffin, Ariel Poliner, Siyuan Ye, Enrique Ramon, Mabel Plasencia, and Bell Ying Cai
Lead Consultant: CharcoalBlue
General Contractor: Baldwin and Shell Construction Company
M/E/P Engineers: Buro Happold
Structural Engineers: Silman

The new TheatreSquared building in Fayetteville, Arkansas, provides a permanent home for Northwest Arkansas's only year-round professional theatre.

The building's expanded facilities amplify the nationally-acclaimed programming and public outreach (TheatreSquared current sees 45,000 patrons each year) with two intimate theatres, along with a dedicated rehearsal/event space, offices, education, and community spaces, costume workshops, a cafe/bar, and outdoor terraces on all floors.

Accompanying the state of the art performing spaces are eight short-term residences for visiting actors, writers, and directors - demonstrating TheatreSquared's commitment to the artist community at large.

Situated a block South of Dickson St, Fayetteville's main commercial artery, and in between the Walton Arts Center and the Public Library, the building expands the city's cultural footprint South. A planned park across the street from the theatre, replacing an existing parking lot, will energize the area further.

All structures tell a story. The building, its materials, and craftsmanship are an expression and celebration of Northwest Arkansas. The wood of the furniture, walls, and floors were sourced from trees felled from the site, and local Ozark boulders were embedded into the landscaping. A limited material palette was used, giving priority to durability, flexibility, and the building's technical performance systems. Concrete provides low maintenance and durable finish intended to last for generations. The charring of the wood on the exterior creates a natural protective coating with an expected 50 year or longer lifetime. The materials work to create an efficient and sensible design where every space and material is used economically and purposefully.

TheatreSquared's ethos is that theatre ought to be enjoyed by everyone. The building "commons" - the theatre's connective space - invitingly opens up to the street, serving as an unofficial living room for the city. The public programming, café with daily open hours, and glass walls of the Commons increase transparency and entice both theatregoers and visitors alike. The Rehearsal Room, a space dually used for events, projects over the Northwest corner of the building. A big picture window looks out while revealing the inner workings of the building and the process of mounting a show.

The Eastern spine of the building hosts operational needs, including staff offices, dressing rooms, wardrobe, scene and prop shops, and a green room. Windows overlooking the street and in between rooms and windows foster interaction between staff, actors, and the public. Industrial materials such as plywood and OSB increase the durability of the wall surfaces while expressing a lived-in quality- a working theatre.

As with every Marvel project, the design was the result of an intense collaborative process with the client. Working with theatre consultants CharcoalBlue, Marvel created 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.

TheatreSquared's previous venue was abnormally wide and shallow, resulting in an extensive stage yet intimate audience space. The ample stage shape was retained while the audience capacity was dramatically increased by adding a wraparound balcony level and extra orchestra space. Audience members, like the actors, enter at the stage level, furthering the intimate theatre experience that has become a hallmark of TheatreSquared's performances.