WILD
BEAST AT CALARTS

Inspired by the quote from composer Morton Feldman, “I am interested in how the wild beast lives in the jungle, not in the zoo,” this 30,000 square foot garden encircles the Wild Beast Music Pavilion on the campus of California Institute of the Arts, amplifying and extending the performance venue into the hillside landscape.

The open lawn and terraced amphitheater are designed to accommodate 750 patrons for outdoor concerts and events. The structure, designed by Hodgetts + Fung, serves as a multi-purpose performance space, able to quickly transform from an indoor classroom and recital hall to an open-air orchestra venue.

The audience is welcomed with casual seating, terraced steps, and a balcony for receptions. Integrated seating is nestled into the hillside and surrounded by lush native planting and trees that enclose the area. A lawn provides additional flexible space for campus events and concert series. Additional scope includes landscaped circulation pathways that guide visitors from the parking lot to the venue space.