Six facade fragments reframe the Ragdale ring as an open scene
Front of House is Gluten’s winning proposal for the 2026 Ragdale Ring competition at the Ragdale Foundation in Lake Forest, Illinois. Rather than defining the Ring as a single stage, the project treats it as a distributed landscape for performance, gathering, movement and everyday engagement. A series of architectural fragments allows multiple activities and interactions to occur simultaneously, positioning the architecture as an active component of the performance environment rather than a static backdrop.
The project takes the lead facade of Ragdale House as his starting point. The elevation is scaled to the dimensions required for the Ring and then fragmented into six planar elements with irregular openings derived from the windows, doors and edges of the original building. Instead of reconstructing the facade as a building or stage backdrop, the fragments are scattered across the grass, creating a loose spatial field rather than a fixed performance platform.
The layout allows performances to take place in the round, span multiple tracks, or occupy more intimate spots within the installation. The audience can focus on the surrounding elements, the performers can move between them and many events can happen at the same time. The open configuration allows the spatial organization to shift according to each use.
nestled in the landscape | all images ©Nicholas James Needham
Disassembled facade offsets between object, scene and landscape
Resting directly on the lawn, the fragments act as simple platforms while maintaining the appearance of an unfinished or dismantled architectural structure. The composition, designed by Gluten Studioit stands between the logic of the upward-sloping construction, an explosive architectural model, and a setting displaced from its original alignment. From above, the six pieces form a recognizable dismantled facade. At ground level, however, the architectural reference becomes less direct and is revealed through movement and physical interaction.
Openings loosely based on windows, slight changes in slope and the alignment of the body with individual fragments gradually reveal connections to the original facade of Ragdale House. The contrast between the overall appearance of the installation and its experience at ground level is a deliberate part of the design, encouraging the architecture to be understood through movement rather than as a single, immediately legible composition. The sharded layout accommodates the required performance footprint while maintaining flexibility for smaller or concurrent events. The system is designed for simple construction and efficient installation within the stay season, while its construction is intended to remain durable throughout the summer and fall season.
At the end of the ring’s life, the components are intended to be reused, repurposed or disassembled with minimal waste. Rather than defining a single stage, the Front of House creates a series of spatial conditions that allow performance, concentration and architecture to overlap within a distributed and adaptable context.
facade fragments removed in a panel system
reclining construction techniques frame seats and sides
reclining spots for relaxation and audience participation
