nashville expands its music legacy with ascend amphitheater

nashville expands its music legacy with ascend amphitheater
all images courtesy of rachel paul photography

nashville’s music scene expands once again with the ‘ascend amphitheater’, a dynamic venue in the heart of the city. part of an 11-acre civic park alongside the cumberland river, the design is greatly influenced by the location and the area’s rich cultural history, especially in terms of performance. ‘ascend’ was completed in collaboration between three firms; smith gee studio (arch. of record), hodgetts + fung (principal), and hawkins partners (landscape).

rigging points and catwalks are positioned to enable rapid turnaround of sets and lighting

because use of the ‘amphitheater’ is seasonal, great care was taken to provide maximum views through the intervention. a lower roof line, and open-back stage, are both utilized in tandem to create sight lines. ‘ascend’ accommodates up to 6,500 people, with semi-fixed seats for 2,220, a greenway pavilion for 300, and 4,000 additional lawn seats. the venue is optimized for everything from symphony to country, and is supported with an artists’ wing, operator offices, and dining event space with park-side terrace. ‘ascend’ opened to great acclaim in july, 2015. 

back stage areas are grouped within a limestone podium which supports the roof 

view of the nashville skyline through ‘ascend’ 

a sloping battered wall shelters views of performers’ semi-trailers from the surrounding park

audience amenities are strategically placed in coordination with the landscape design

the ‘amphitheater’s’ motif is loosely drawn from a guitar amplifier 

as a legacy project, the ‘amphitheater’ is one inextricably entwined with the city’s emerging civic identity

a pencil thin roof stretches towards the cumberland river and is anchored by a rugged limestone rampart

‘ascend amphitheater’
image courtesy of hawkins partners

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edited by: nick brink | designboom