This proposition presupposes the following: an outdoor band shell in a temperate zone with moderate rain/snowfall and moderate wind-loading. The model site is that of the Hatch Shell in Boston's Back Bay. The band shell lies dormant except in the summer when it hosts weekly concerts. Programmatic concerns dictate acoustic and visual opacity for the benefit of communication quality among performers and the conductor. Further, as the site lies within a park, pests should be considered an additional factor.

The solution detailed below comprises a geodesic semi-dome structural frame that supplies support to the electrical services required within the shell and supplementary wind-loading/acoustic support to an otherwise self-supporting solid timber façade. A play on the vernacular cladding of the surrounding towns provides an opportunity for word play on the structure type, with The Birth of Venus by Botticelli and the winsome quality of Oldenburgian sculpture inspiring transcendence of a self-imposed vulgarity. The primary material choice, cedar, provides strength, workability, low absorption and shrinkage, low thermal conductivity and high density. Birkhauser describes the material as remarkably light, but a very durable kind of wood. The material has high resistance to pests because of its low moisture content, and high resistance to fungal attack. Matbase.com predicts a 40-50 year lifespan. These qualities contribute to a design premise whereby the principles of cladding may be extended by
comparison to a diagrid to inform the structure, strength and resistance of the band shell to the harsh environment it occupies.

The cladding design encourages laminar flow while the ventilation of the outermost wrap provides a rain-screen. The non-ventilated inner wrap positions the façade to make use of the wind pressure to remove moisture buildup. A tapered sectional profile encourages air movement. The shape of the structure, together with the cladding detail turn wind-loading into a compressive force by analogy to aerodynamic design. Expansion and contraction and acoustic isolation are handled by the inclusion of neoprene spacers between the ventilated and non-ventilated sections, an air-gap, on the inner leaf of which the steel geodesic semi-dome is isolated by springs. Furthermore, the texture and density of the material in its cladding form provide further sound protection. The opacity of the material provides radiation protection as does the extension of the façade over the workable area to further shad the performers. Cross ribbing of the ventilated and non-ventilated sections provides the "diagrid" style self support for the façade, while the modularity of the design helps mitigate wear and tear.