Rockaway Beach Amphitheater

Completed in late 2022, the new performance space is situated in the plaza along Shorefront Parkway, nestled between Beach 94th Street and Beach 95th Street. Designed and built by Birdair, the space features a distinctive PVC tensile membrane structure that mimics the shape of a clam shell. The fabric membrane structure encompasses a total area of 2,220 square feet, with three identical tensile canopies combining PVC mesh and solid fabric.

The new structure serves a few purposes; it’s a stage, a landmark, a refuge from sun and rain, and importantly, a gathering place designed with community in mind.

“It actually functions quite well as a kind of portal to the Rockaways. It has this kind of monumental presence even though it is quite small,” said Peter Coombe, co-founder of Sage and Coombe Architects, the group behind the project. “If you open up space,” said Jennifer Sage, co-founder of Sage and Coombe. “It gives people a sense of ownership, and people want to take care of it… If you give people a quality project, it adds pride and engagement.”

Birdair’s involvement includes the design and construction of the structural steel framing, the PVC solid and mesh fabric membrane, and the membrane attachment system.