WEISS/MANFREDI celebrates groundbreaking at Lincoln Center

WEISS/MANFREDI celebrates the groundbreaking of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) Lincoln Center West Initiative, a major reimagining of Damrosch Park and the Amsterdam Avenue edge of Lincoln Center’s iconic campus. Designed in collaboration with Hood Design Studio and Moody Nolan, the transformation reimagines the relationship between performance, landscape, and civic life, opening the campus to the city and creating new opportunities for community gathering and cultural exchange. 

At the heart of the project is The Baron Theater, Lincoln Center’s first freestanding theater in more than 50 years, set within a new landscape of groves, gardens, shaded gathering spaces, and flexible public plazas. Inspired by Lincoln Center’s modernist legacy while introducing contemporary, community-focused spaces, the design creates a seamless connection between performance and everyday public life.

“We’re thrilled to design Lincoln Center’s first freestanding theater in half a century; a theater in the park. This groundbreaking milestone signals a renewed commitment to bring music and performance into the heart of the community,” said Marion Weiss and Michael Manfredi. “The theater and its plaza are designed as an open invitation to gather, connect, and experience art. The silhouette of the theater’s gently vaulted roof, paired with the sweeping arc of the trellis and tiered steps frame a welcoming setting for informal gatherings and the world-class productions for which Lincoln Center is renowned.”