Rose Bowl Strategic Plan:

Section 1.1 - History and Design Approach

A 1922 National Historic Landmark, the Rose Bowl is one of the oldest football stadiums in the country, and has been an icon of Pasadena since the first Tournament of Roses game was planed here on January 1, 1923. Its history, dramatic setting, and evocative environment are the foundations of the Rose Bowl character, and have provided the inspiration for many of the design elements outlined in this package.

The approach that has been taken here is a more modest, incremental solution that focuses on addressing specific fan experience and operational concerns with the current facility, rather than proposing a total overhaul of the existing infrastructure and amenities. The approach results not only in a more manageable financial commitment, but also in simpler physical changes to the historic stadium. While no single element of the package, taken alone, would provide a complete transformation of the Rose Bowl, taken together, these improvements will compound each other, and significantly enhance the historic appeal, fan experience, and operational capacity of the Rose Bowl, extending its useful life well into future generations.

Historic Inspiration

The architect, who designed the Rose Bowl, Myron Hunt, had lofty expectations for the stadium from its very inception. In researching design options for the bowl, he drew inspiration from both historic and modern examples , ranging from the Ancient Roman Coliseum to the newly constructed Yale Bowl in New Haven, Connecticut. He decided to design the Rose Bowl as a pure ellipse, both in plan and in section. It was the first stadium to be built in the modern era according to the elliptical principles that the Greeks and Romans used in their facility design. The two focal points of the ellipse and the variation of 1/8" of each riser give the seating bowl a unique quality of space unmatched in sports venues across the country. The strength of the Rose Bowl's design lies in its strong foundation of simplicity and pureness, and the approach mirrors this foundation with clean and simple design solutions. Hunt was also integral to the site selection process for the new stadium in 1922. He was able to convince the Tournament of Roses planners and Pasadena citizens that the undeveloped and unsightly Arroyo Seco was the ideal location for the Bowl. The sightlines to the majestic San Gabriel Mountains and connections that the Rose Bowl has with the Arroyo Seco remain two of its greatest assets, and the goal is to capitalize on these elements in many of the design options outlined in this proposal.

In addition to Hunt's primary design decisions that define the physical nature of the Rose Bowl, the historic events that have taken place at the Bowl itself since its construction have given it a diverse and rich intangible character. From the first nationally televised college football game, to the most attended women's sport event ever, the Rose Bowl has played host to many distinguished moments in history. There are several elements of design in this package that focus on these events, either by direct reference or a more subtle approach, so that the varied moments in history that define the Rose Bowl are fully integrated into its rehabilitation.