Bethel Woods Center for the Arts

Olin Partnership

Naturally occurring clay soils and the need to design resilient high-use lawn seating for outdoor performances were the challenges Pine & Swallow addressed for The Bethel Woods Center for the Arts. The project included a 15,000-seat outdoor performance venue, smaller performance sites, a museum, and a system of trails and protected open spaces at the site of the original 1969 Woodstock Music and Art Fair. Pine & Swallow designed a two-layered, sand-based soil design to withstand the high use, but which drains rapidly and is suitable for seating.

High-Use LawnsNaturalized LandscapesOn-Site Soil Restoration
(Image: bethelwoodscenter.org)