The Delacorte Theater

Nestled among the trees, the theater’s setting informs the design. The thoughtful sense of procession begins from the moment the theater becomes visible and continues to the moment you arrive at your seat. The stage opens up a previously unseen view of Belvedere Castle, cultivating a sense of discovery and awe that sets the tone for the performance.

The exterior is made of reclaimed redwood from decommissioned water towers sourced from all five boroughs. The textured, vertical wood façade is canted slightly outward to create a sense of movement, playing with light and shadow to evoke the organic beauty of the surroundings. The rugged texture of the exterior wall is juxtaposed with the smooth, dynamic geometry of the new covered canopy, sweeping across the entryway to cultivate an entry experience that balances subtlety and grandeur. The facade grounds the structure in its natural landscape and symbolically ties it to the broader urban context and history of the city.

The reclaimed redwood serves aesthetic and functional purposes — creating a dynamic visual identity that will wear well over time. Wood paneling lines the entryway, ushering patrons into a space that gracefully opens to the sky, subtly and effortlessly setting the stage for a truly one-of-a-kind theater experience. Ennead incorporated heightened water protection and drainage systems to reduce flooding and improve water mitigation in anticipation of worsening storms.

Built before many of the modern accessibility codes, the Delacorte previously had only one accessible entry and just one row of seating. In addition to bringing the whole theater up to code, Ennead’s design considers the experience of every person in the theater: performers, patrons, and staff.

Two new gates introduce accessible entries, and the number of ADA accessible seats has more than doubled, with 20 bariatric seats available. A generous cross aisle with excellent sightlines ensures an equitable experience for everyone moving throughout the space. Newly introduced ramps and a lift allow for artists with disabilities to enter and exit the stage with ease. Purpose-built dressing rooms, bigger hallways, and HVAC climate control bring a new level of comfort to the space. Newly designed lighting towers provide opportunities to transform the visual experience, and upgraded exterior and interior wayfinding signage supports intuitive movement throughout.

Ennead has a long-standing partnership with The Public. Centered around a long-term master plan, Ennead has been designing and executing multi-phased improvements to The Public’s flagship location on Lafayette Street, creating a new rehearsal hall annex and now completing the revitalization of the Delacorte. In July, the initial cast of Twelfth Night, directed by Saheem Ali, was announced, featuring the top-tier talent of Peter Dinklage, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Lupita Nyong’o and Sandra Oh.