Ground has been broken on a sizable new structure that will host high-end gatherings for the Hollywood Bowl. Unlike a much-publicized project taking place on the other side of the country, this process will not require amputating a wing from any beloved historic building.
The Terri and Jerry Kohl Artists Pavilion will occupy a space currently serving as a parking lot (specifically, atop the Field Gate). Designed to accommodate a variety of events, it is scheduled to open by next summer’s Bowl season.
“We are always looking for ways to enhance the artist and audience experience at the Hollywood Bowl, and it has long been a vision of ours to create a new event space to support our artists and community,” Kim Noltemy, president and CEO of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, told SF Classical Voice.
“This is a project several years in the making, and we’re excited to help bring it to fruition with guidance by the L.A. County Department of Parks and Recreation, a generous lead gift from Terri and Jerry Kohl, and significant funding from Live Nation Hewitt Silva.”
The project, “entirely supported by private funding and L.A. Phil investment,” will cost approximately $25 million, according to Noltemy. The single-story, 7,500-square-foot pavilion will be equipped with a full kitchen.
Noltemy said the pavilion will have “a number of uses, from VIP artist receptions, pre- or post-concert gatherings, crew hospitality, and a fundraising or sponsor event space.” In addition, “artists could use the pavilion as a meet-and-greet space, a post-concert party, a small recital, or a gathering for their family.”
Notably, it will not stand idle for nine months of the year. “There could be any number of opportunities for the off-season,” Noltemy said. “We often host private and small public events on the campus, and this building will be a great addition to our existing offerings.”
The pavilion is designed by the architectural collective RIOS, which has undertaken a number of improvement projects at the Bowl, including restoring the iconic fountain.
“I grew up going to the Hollywood Bowl,” Jerry Kohl said in a statement. He added that he and Terri “hope that every artist who walks through these doors will feel cared for, inspired, and part of something larger than themselves.”
