The Assembly Studios Bandshell, nicknamed the Pringle for its saddle shape, is North America’s first timber gridshell built at this scale. The 82-foot canopy curves in two directions at once and sits on Assembly Atlanta, the 120-acre film and production campus in Doraville, Georgia owned by Gray Media.
Project Scope
The 4,000-square-foot shell is framed from thin wood laths bent elastically into a doubly curved grid, locked by a plywood diaphragm and clad in stainless-steel shingles. StructureCraft engineered the structure. The $10 million budget covers the full scope, including site work, civil, landscaping and MEP. Substantial completion landed in early June 2026.
Why It Matters
The venue opened as a FIFA World Cup watch site before converting to a permanent home for concerts and public programming. As a gridshell, it carries load through geometry rather than heavy framing, a demonstration of how far bent-timber engineering can span on a modest budget.
Project Team & Details
| Owner / Client | Gray Media / Assembly Atlanta |
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| Consultants | StructureCraft (Structural / Timber Engineering) |
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| Status | Completed |
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| Funding Source | Private |
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