Coca-Cola Amphitheater
Birmingham, Ala.
Merit Award
Sent by: Goodwyn Mills Cawood
Owner: Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex
Main design company: Generating studies
General contractor: Stone Building Co.
Architect: Study H2; Goodwyn Mills Cawood
The first outdoor music hall at the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex had to be finished with an immovable deadline to accommodate the concerts that Live Nation had scheduled long before the project was completed. The $46 million Coca-Cola Amphitheater sits on a previously underutilized site as a cornerstone for the redevelopment of the surrounding neighborhood.
Instead of working against the sloping hillside of the site, the project team chose to embrace the natural landscape. The slope orientation led to the seating being placed on the hillside, giving the amphitheater a natural rise, an elevated view without much of a lift and an inclined bowl to take in the skyline and Birmingham Airport. Patrons approaching from the south see it as a monumental structure rising.
Surrounding the 9,300-seat bowl is a network of smaller buildings for services, service points and offices. There are also eight private rooms for performers. The exterior of the venue is clad in copper-colored metal panels that reference the red clay floors of the region.
The project team also had to adhere to Live Nation’s site standards, ensuring artists’ privacy. These areas are placed out of sight from all entrances to ensure private and secure suites, and the artist area features eight individual rooms for opening acts, headliners and bands.
Construction was completed on budget and ahead of schedule in June 2025.
