Architect：Ervin Architecture

Location：1 Railroad St, Bangor, ME 04401, USA; | ;View Map

Project Year：2024

Category：Stadiums;Pavilions

An architectural marvel, the Maine Savings Amphitheater is sophisticated state-of-the art live entertainment facility in Bangor, Maine. The latest venue upgrades result from over 2.5 years of progressive collaboration to enhance an already extraordinary live entertainment facility that marches forward alongside the growing expectations of live music fans. The venue, designed by

, is the largest assembly occupancy facility north of Boston, and has become the premier destination in northern New England for live entertainment, routinely drawing fans from Boston, Montreal, and Halifax, Nova Scotia. 

The venue is the culmination of a series of increasingly more complex construction phases spanning six years. Beginning in the fall of 2017, Waterfront Concerts joined forces with Ervin Architecture to execute a singular goal together: to design and build an exceptional live entertainment facility for northern New England. The project faced considerable adversity given its geographic location, site restrictions, rising costs of construction, local and regional politics, and a worldwide pandemic. However, through a common commitment to Bangor and a relentless determination to prevail, Waterfront Concerts and Ervin Architecture have an unwavering focus on future opportunity, successfully setting and meeting aggressive development goals each season and transforming what was once “a hill and a stage” into an ever-evolving live entertainment facility.

Tucked into a scenic hillside between Bangor’s Main Street and the shores of the Penobscot River, the Maine Savings Amphitheater is a spectacle to behold. The venue rises over forty feet across the 425-foot span from the front of the stage to the rear of the lawn. Boasting a capacity of 16,500, Maine Savings is the largest venue north of Boston, encompassing both indoor and outdoor spaces. 

From the beginning, EA has been entrusted with devising and executing a dynamic array of renovations and property improvements, establishing an adaptable design that is rooted in audience engagement and supports multi-seasonal outdoor operations. The venue sits on a seven-acre, crescent moon-shaped swathe of land situated between two parallel boundaries to the east and the west: Bangor’s Main Street and the Chessie System (CSX) railroad line. To navigate the unique topography, the design team developed progressive, custom architectural and engineering solutions that utilize every inch of the property footprint, maximizing efficiency and optimizing audience immersion. Despite these initial obstacles, the design team triumphed using sophisticated engineering, allowing the facility to achieve a staggering scale. Comprising over 125,000 square feet of building floor area as well as 200,000 square feet of seating and concourse areas, the colossal facility is dedicated to delivering an unmatched fan experience.

Fans are immediately drawn into the space through exciting moments of discovery along paths of travel. The amphitheater’s carefully implemented circulation plan promotes intuitive and efficient navigation, easily guiding crowds through the vast venue while maintaining a sense of intrigue and dramatic reveal. The elevated seating areas are flanked by lower, canyon-like circulation arteries that operate independently. This relationship streamlines crowd circulation and eliminates any interference between the two zones. When fans leave the “canyonland” promenade and emerge into their elevated seats, they are instantly met with a breathtaking view of the stage––a primary focus of EA’s layout design. 

The “wow factor” doesn’t end there––as attendees venture to their seats, they are guaranteed to find an unobstructed view of the performer, no matter where they’re seated. EA meticulously tackled sight lines to ensure an optimal viewing experience, modeling the view from each and every seat in the venue throughout the planning phase. The design team wanted to avoid the now common “screen-driven experience” attendees may find at other live entertainment spots that do not prioritize uninterrupted, live action views of performers. Each design decision that EA considered was rooted in the goal to give the fans the most amazing experience possible. As a result, primary venue seating areas are elevated and pitched, while clubs and luxury seats boast tiered seating and cantilevered balconies. In particular, the signature sawtooth structures on either side of the venue reflect this design polemic. The result is a captivating aesthetic that establishes a functional layout of undulating balconies that provide each unit with independent, noncompeting sight lines. 

EA thoughtfully implemented first-class acoustic design to ensure an attenuated, clear sound for both performers and audiences. Nestled in front of a 450 foot sheet pile wall that holds up Main Street, combined with the increasingly higher terraced seating sections, the venue is acoustically cradled. The sound control is further corralled by the two large sawtooth buildings situated on either side of the amphitheater. Furthermore, the buildings are acoustically enhanced with an innovative rainscreen that allows the facades to drain efficiently using an air and moisture barrier that doubles as an acoustical fabric. 

EA also worked closely with Waterfront Concerts to produce equidistant bathroom facilities and food & beverage offerings to every quadrant of the venue. Specifically, EA worked to create a next-level ratio of only 1:60 (fixture:fan) and similar ratio for food and beverage Point of Sale (POS) opportunities. This has resulted in significantly shorter lines, giving fans more time in their seats to enjoy their favorite performers.

At the suite-level, guests will discover an array of micro-atmospheres that house Premium Seat Services (PSS) options, including sponsored clubs and luxury suites. In particular, the venue offers four VIP clubs: Dunkin’ Deck, Truly Terrance, Miller Lite Lounge and Darlings Lounge, each of which hold about 100 fans. Dedicated amenities include private bathrooms, a fully catered banquet area and an exclusive bar with full drink service. Other PSS offerings in front of the stage have direct access to the VIP facility behind the stage; a two-story structure with lounge-style seating overlooking the Penobscot River that features bars and private bathrooms on two levels. 

EA positioned the property to put sustainable design at the forefront, prioritizing the reduction of the venue’s carbon footprint. This involved an enhanced emphasis on water conservation, energy conservation, renewable content, and recycled content. Low-flow toilets, low-flow faucets, waterless urinals, and a sweeping green roof over the premium seating were incorporated to further promote water conservation efforts. EA also prioritized material and product selections with high-recycled content, including ZIP System sheathing, Marlite finishes, and Azek cladding.

The last final items remaining to close out this impressive 2.5 year construction phase include a large 24-foot wide stair out the rear of the lawn to establish a more direct entry and egress for fans. This stair also improves circulation to lawn bathrooms and concessions offerings. Two new additional staircases conjoin two major interior seating sections, allowing fans to discharge more quickly at the end of a show. Artist facing improvements include the design and construction of a single hole golf course sandwiched between the Penobscot River and sloping hillside, creating a scenic place for artists to unwind before a show and hone their golf game while on tour. These improvements effectively close out the nearly 2.5 year latest construction phase of the Maine Savings Amphitheater. The venue as a whole will have its grand opening in the spring of the 2024 season with Parker McCollum’s Burn It Down Tour on May 26th 2024. 

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