Trahan Architects designed the structure using a ruled surface that helps define each individual panel joint, while the underside of the shell is carefully erected according to acoustic considerations.
Just two curving connections ground the pavilion, which spans 45.72 m (150 feet) wide, to enhance the notion of weightlessness while clearing space for its internal use and framing views of the concrete stage.
CIG Architecture, the Dutch manufacturer known for its work with Anish Kapoor, Olafur Eliasson, and others, worked closely with the firm to produce the steel shell that will patina over time showing the effects of the local climate on the architecture.
Trahan Architects recently completed a restoration of the New Orleans Superdome ahead of its hosting the 2025 NFL Super Bowl.
Luther George Park Pavilion by Trahan Architects. Photograph by Tim Hursley.
Project description by Trahan Architects
The re-imagination of Luther George Park is an inaugural piece of Downtown Springdale Alliance’s masterplan to create vibrant public spaces and plazas throughout the town. Working collaboratively with Landscape Architects Spackman Mossop Michaels (SMM), the Performance Pavilion serves as a complementary element to the overall park design – inspired by the gentle rolling hills of the Ozarks surrounding Springdale, Arkansas. The pavilion is a destination and marker for the park, framing views in all directions while also acting as a shade structure and performance stage for various events.
With support from the Walton Family Foundation’s Northwest Arkansas Design Excellence Program, the revitalized park serves as a vital link connecting downtown Springdale to the Razorback Greenway, a regional trail system spanning over 40 miles across Northwest Arkansas. This popular greenway, attracting over 100,000 annual cyclists and pedestrians, now has a bucolic entry and more direct access to downtown Springdale’s vivacious community.
Throughout the 14-acre park, sculpted earth berms carve out dynamic spaces of discovery for play, performance, community gatherings, and quiet contemplation. The addition of over 200 native trees and select perennial grasses offer a tapestry of shade and color while creating more ideal conditions for pollinators and local wildlife to thrive. The design also amplifies the park’s connection along Spring Creek with expanded plantings, seating areas, and pathways to quietly observe and extend its wetland habitats.
Located along the central pedestrian extension of Water Street, the pavilion’s dramatic, curving form invites visitors and residents to come inside and explore.
This structure has dual functions – providing shade for daily parkgoers and a fully equipped pavilion for special performances and events of all kinds. The form allows for performances to be hosted on either side, ensuring there is no back side to the pavilion.
The pavilion’s shell was built and assembled in sections, all produced by the world-renowned steel fabricator CIG Architecture, based in the Netherlands.
Composed of ¼” – ¾” weathering steel plates and spanning 45.72 m (150 feet) in length, the structure is anchored by only two points – making it appear weightless. As it’s exposed to the elements over time, the steel will develop a beautiful earth-toned patina that reflects the nuances of its unique environmental conditions.
Performance technologies, such as rigging coves for theatrical lighting, dedicated power for AV equipment, and perforations for optimized acoustics are integrated into the structure.
Facing the great lawn to the East, the pavilion is a stage for large scale performances – hosting audiences of around 3,000 people. To the West, a smaller opening and hillside can host more intimate gatherings of 50-100 people, such as movie screenings.
With all of these elements, the new Luther George Park will be a timeless resource for all residents and visitors of Springdale to appreciate nature, culture, and the vibrancy of its community.
