Earthfold, IL: A Temporary Mound for Performance
Competition Entry for Ragdale Ring / 2026
Radu Remus Macovei in collaboration with Edward Wang
EARTHFOLD gently deforms the lawn into a grassy mound that appears monumental and surreal from the parking lot. As visitors approach, its apparent mass gives way to a thin, tent-like structure enclosing an outdoor performance room in the round. The oval frames the sky, trees, and performances while supporting gatherings, individual acts, movement, and improvisation.
Twenty-four timber A-frame bays organize seating, alcoves, and gathering pockets along the perimeter. Two entrances connect the mound to the lawn, parking lot, and forest, accommodating different arrivals. A subtle teardrop-shaped splay introduces direction while maintaining the oval’s continuity.
Referencing and inverting earthworks, the landform appears to float above the ground, offering shelter without severing its connection to the open lawn. Its ten-foot height establishes a new datum against the trees and sky, creating a focused interior condition.
The ring consists of concentric layers: an exterior fabric perimeter, an occupiable timber frame, and inner curtains. Fabric thresholds compress and release visitors into the center, while curtains can open or close to support public events, rehearsals, listening, and gathering.
Inspired by wild meadow ecologies, the exterior graphics will be developed with artists, ecologists, and local participants, challenging the lawn’s monoculture through shared authorship. EARTHFOLD is a flexible, low-impact performance environment—neither building nor landscape alone, but an inhabitable landform for experimentation and collective use.