Curtain Call

Curtain Call is a winning design for the 2024 edition of BuildFest at the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts. Each year, BuildFest selects teams of university faculty to design and construct large-scale art installations on the historic grounds of the 1969 Woodstock festival. This year’s theme challenged participants to explore the intersection of digital and physical construction methods. By embracing Human-Robot Collaborative Construction (HRCC) techniques, Curtain Call breaks from conventional modes of design and fabrication to develop a pavilion that references the tectonics of the Woodstock ‘69 stage.

Designed as a new type of performance infrastructure for the site, Curtain Call creates a flexible stage to accommodate a wide range of organized and impromptu activities. The playful arrangement of an open-air deck, asymmetrical columns, and a mesh-wrapped roof structure provides a range of possibilities for adaptation. The pavilion can accommodate performances, movie nights, pop-up events, or serve as a relaxing spot for visitors to lounge, picnic, or read a book under the shade.