Aretha Franklin Amphitheatre
Where the echoes of legends linger… and the wind dances to the beat. This is the Aretha Franklin Amphitheater, sheltered by Birdair’s elegant design, and alive with the soul of Detroit city.
Fabric Type: PTFE Fiberglass
Market Sector: Entertainment / Leisure
Project Size: 55,000 sq.ft.
Architect: Schervish, Vogel, Merz; Detroit, MI
Engineer: Robert Darvas Associates; Ann Arbor, MI
Owner: City of Detroit; Detroit, MI
General Contractor: Turner Construction Company
Completion Date: July 6, 1990
Originally known as Chene Park Amphitheatre and renamed in 2019 to honor the Queen of Soul herself, this venue helped redefine Detroit’s riverfront skyline. Designed by legendary fabric roof designer, Kent Hubbell (former Dean of Architecture at Cornell University), this classic outdoor amphitheater offers a nostalgic feel, making it a perfect spot for live music during the summer.
Constructed in 1990, this 55,000 sq.ft. PTFE-coated tensile fabric roof provides shelter for over 5,000 seats. Each panel was over 15,000 sq.ft. in size, which makes this one of the largest membrane panel installations on a project. It uses three (3) masts, each topped by a fan-shaped, trussed arch and built within those masts are “crows nests” which are used for performance lighting. The roof itself approximates a quarter-circle in plan with a large space truss truncating the narrow end above the stage.
Birdair architectural fabric membrane systems continue to transform concert facilities and similar venues into all-weather environments.
