Picnicking before a show at the Hollywood Bowl is a long-standing tradition each summer. But the reality of trying to find a place to sit that wasn't on a serious slope or spilling over onto a walkway often left people frustrated and eating off their laps. There simply weren't enough benches, tables, and walls where you could unpack a hamper.
Four our third commission at the Hollywood Bowl, we were tasked with designing picnic furnishings that are more efficient and more inviting by working with, rather than against, the site's naturally sloping corridors.
We designed 12 different kinds of seating, ranging from classic picnic tables for full meals to innovative benches with side tables and armrests for a quick drink before curtain. Platform seats are wide enough to spread out a blanket, and stepped, so plates don't slide downhill.
Innovative circular benches surround trees near the box office plaza, creating places for people to sit while they wait to meet friends. Plenty of lawns remain for those who prefer to picnic on the grass.
The tables and benches are made from ultra-durable ipe hardwood and powder-coated stainless steel, keeping maintenance down. They're a significant upgrade over the hard concrete benches and plastic tables and chairs that previously populated many picnicking areas. The steel is painted an eye-catching shade of green, so it's easy to spot when a table is free.
The new furnishings made their debut during the Bowl's 2013 summer season.