The first pieces of a curving timber bandshell, already nicknamed the “Pringle,” were hoisted into place at Assembly Studios in Doraville on Monday, turning a long-running construction zone into something that suddenly looks ready for a show. Crews used a crane to swing the intricate lattice into position, and developers say the shell is on track to host concerts, film screenings, and community gatherings. Organizers add that performances could begin as early as June, giving the north Atlanta suburbs a new outdoor stage just in time for peak summer nights.
A landmark in mass timber
The structure is a doubly curved Chebyshev gridshell, a bending-active timber lattice that relies on its geometry for strength, and project documentation suggests it may be among the first systems of its kind on the continent. The design team pairs Smith Dalia Architects with timber specialists StructureCraft and general contractor Bailey Construction. As detailed by WoodWorks Innovation Network, the group leaned on scale models and computational workflows to refine the complex curves before anything was fabricated in the shop.
Built in Canada, fitted on site
StructureCraft reports that most of the curved timber elements were prefabricated at its Abbotsford, B.C., facility, where glulam ring segments were laid up, CNC-cut, and hand-finished before being shipped across the continent to Georgia. The firm describes breaking the ring beam into shippable lengths and engineering the lattice so it could be efficiently pieced together on site. StructureCraft also notes that the bandshell is expected to serve as a near-term World Cup viewing venue and a longer-term performing arts stage, according to information shared by StructureCraft.
What officials are saying
Gray Media CEO Hilton Howell dubbed the structure “the Pringle” because it resembles an upside-down Pringle chip, a nickname that seems likely to stick. Jay Gipson of the Gipson Company highlighted the precision that went into the build, pointing out that the Canadian-manufactured components arrived with tight tolerances. He told reporters that the pieces were fitted to within three-sixteenths of an inch so the grid would seat correctly when the crane lifted it into place. Those on-site remarks were reported by Atlanta News First.
Where it sits and what comes next
The bandshell is the first visible move in Phase 2 of construction at Assembly Atlanta, the mixed-use campus on the former General Motors assembly plant that company materials describe as a 135-acre development owned by Gray Media. The studio lot already features an LED fountain show, pondside walkways, and filmable exteriors that double as city streets for productions, elements described on Assembly Atlanta. The broader development and ownership context is outlined by Gray Media.
How the bandshell fits Doraville's plans
The Pringle’s debut comes as Doraville advances plans for a new downtown across from the Doraville MARTA station. The 13-acre Doraville City Center project is slated to add parks, municipal space, and retail, and planners along with local reporting have emphasized how its direct adjacency to Assembly Atlanta, combined with transit access, could tie the two sites together. Coverage of the city center’s redevelopment and timeline appears in outlets such as Atlanta Business Chronicle.
Officials say detailed programming and ticketing information will roll out in the coming weeks as crews finish installation and the campus pivots toward public events. For now, the rising curve of the Pringle is the clearest sign that Assembly’s plan to weave together production space, public realms, and live entertainment is finally stepping into the spotlight.
