The final designs for the Volunteer Park Amphitheater replacement project have been unveiled.
The final renderings show a simplified, more brutalist curve for the signature element of the new amphitheater stage — its “overhead weather and sun protection” roof.
The Seattle Parks project’s planned 2020 construction will come after years of feedback and design refinement powered by a community process from the Volunteer Park Trust.
Earlier this year, the state legislature approved $500,000 for the project. CHS reported on a $900,000 grant for the project from the Seattle Parks District in 2018. The funding helped the amphitheater project close in on its $3 million goal.
The new amphitheater will replace the current, crumbling concrete and brick structure, which has hosted performances, rallies, and events. “With the generous backing of our community, The Amphitheater Project will replace the current concrete and brick structure with a modern facility that will have a roof, storage and green room space, all-gender bathrooms, upgraded electrical access, and a resilient floor that will even accommodate dance performances,” the Volunteer Park Trust wrote about the project.
According to the Trust, the design of the new amphitheater combines necessary renovation with the parks historical identity. The new amphitheater’s modern appearance is planned to enhance the historic features of Volunteer Park’s Olmsted landscape, a characteristic integral to the park since its inception in 1904, while providing the community with a venue featuring better acoustics, protection from the elements, improved amenities for performers, ADA-compliant pathways, and a safer performance space.
Construction is expected to begin in 2020 but Seattle Parks has not yet provided a public timeline for the demolition and construction work.
You can keep track of updates on the seattle.gov project page.
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Please, please, please have the foresight to seal all of the vertical surfaces with an anti graffiti clear coat. It prevents spray paint and markers from penetrating porous surfaces and makes it so much easier to clean off. Let’s be realistic here you know it will be tagged the minute it has been completed.
Rap is great and I hope the new amphitheater serves as welcoming platform of expression. I just think random tagging is uneventful and an eyesore.
I suggest that the “1% for art” portion of the funds be used to commission special works (plays, opera, music, whatever) with a programmed pause every 2 minutes, so that the performance can be paused every time a plane flies overhead on its way to SeaTac.