Hollywood Bowl Refresh

​Visitors to the Hollywood Bowl this past summer got to experience a delightful “refresh” of the venue, courtesy of architects, Rios Clementi Hale Studios and Lightswitch architectural lighting design.  MATT Construction worked with both design firms in the off-season to remove and replace the Bowl’s existing lighting, and restore the bowl’s historic yellow cedar benches.

The lighting upgrades highlight the natural beauty of the mature trees in the park. The new lighting starts at Highland Avenue move up the Entrance Drive and Pepper Tree Lane to the Box Office Plaza. A new internally lit information Pylon was added at the new Zev Yaraslovsky gate. Overall, the lighting is well integrated with the site, and there is added continuity that ties into the Bowl’s actual shell.

The other project entailed replacing all the Alaska yellow cedar wood on the site’s bench seating, which had last been refurbished in 1981. The old wood will be re-milled and repurposed, and the new Alaskan Yellow Cedar will gradually weather to a warm, silvery gray. The old wooden benches have hosted an estimated 18 million patrons’ seats over the years, and Bowl fans are grateful for the new comfort and appearance.

Time was of the essence on the project, as the Bowl’s Opening Day gala was firmly scheduled for June 20, and MATT’s staff remained on-site until opening day, to ensure the design’s perfect on-time execution.  At the gala, Zev Yaroslavsky gave an inspiring speech about the importance of the arts in Los Angeles, expressing his gratitude for the artists he has seen at the Bowl over many years. On his website, the supervisor touted the Bowl’s tenth straight Pollstar award as the nation’s best major outdoor concert venue.  MATT Construction was privileged to play a role in this iconic landmark’s continued success.