Gluten's Deconstructed Stage Wins 2026 Ragdale Ring Competition
The 2026 Ragdale Ring Design-Build Competition was won by Gluten, a design studio from Virginia, with their project titled 'Front of House.' This installation reimagines the front elevation of Ragdale House, breaking it down into six flat plywood pieces displayed on the lawn in Lake Forest, Illinois. These fragments, adorned in red and blue with yellow bases, facilitate various performance setups. The design pays homage to the 1897 Arts and Crafts residence created by architect Howard Van Doren Shaw. Chosen from an unprecedented number of entries, Gluten will receive an $20,000 stipend along with an 18-day residency. The competition, which has been running since 2013, supports Ragdale, an artists' residency established in 1976. Gluten was co-founded by Julia McConnell and Paige Davidson.
Key facts
- Gluten wins 2026 Ragdale Ring Design-Build Competition with 'Front of House'
- Installation deconstructs the front elevation of Ragdale House into six flat fragments
- Fragments made of plywood, painted red and blue, propped on yellow feet
- Design references the 1897 Arts and Crafts home by Howard Van Doren Shaw
- Selected from a record number of submissions
- Winning team receives $20,000 production stipend and 18-day design-build residency
- Installation anchors 2026 summer performance series, opened in June with House of DOV and Family Junket
- On view through November, components to be reused or disassembled with minimal waste
- Ragdale Ring competition has been held since 2013
- Ragdale Foundation has served nearly 6,000 alumni since 1976
- Gluten founded by Julia McConnell and Paige Davidson
- Gluten recently collaborated with Snarkitecture on THE PLAYGROUND at the National Building Museum
- Jury included Colleen Humer, Regin Igloria, Chris-Annmarie Spencer, and Lauren Stimson
Entities
Artists
- Julia McConnell
- Paige Davidson
- Howard Van Doren Shaw
- Frances Wells Shaw
- Colleen Humer
- Regin Igloria
- Chris-Annmarie Spencer
- Lauren Stimson
- John Rich
- Simon Hollrah
- Megan Keith
- Nicholas Needham
- Genevieve Nichols
- Emily Smith
- Rifah Tasnia
- Heather Waters
- Nicholas James Needham
Institutions
- Gluten
- Ragdale Foundation
- Ragdale Ring Design-Build Competition
- National Building Museum
- Snarkitecture
- House of DOV
- Family Junket
- Gluten Studio
- designboom
Locations
- Lake Forest
- Illinois
- Virginia
- Ragdale House
- Shaw Prairie
- Skokie River Nature Preserve
- United States