Crystal Palace's forgotten al fresco amphitheatre is getting a second lease of life.
Once upon a time, this iconic music venue welcomed the likes of Bob Marley, Pink Floyd and even Dame Vera Lynn. Right now, all that's left of it is the striking hunk of metal pictured below — the RIBA-nominated stage affectionately known by locals as the 'rusty laptop'. But that could soon change, thanks to a hugely successful crowdfunding campaign to bring the Crystal Palace Bowl back to life.
The #BackTheBowl campaign, which is run by the Crystal Palace Park Trust, has smashed its initial £53k fundraising target, thanks in part to the Mayor of London's Make London programme, which match-funds community-led projects in the capital.
Detailed design and specification is expected to be finalised this spring and will include resurfacing both the stage itself and the 375 square metre stage area.
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By August, Crystal Palace Bowl should be fully revived and ready to play host to a brand new music and arts festival. South Facing, a series of outdoor concerts, is set to run 14-21 August, with featured acts including Dizzee Rascal, Supergrass, and the English National Opera.
You can keep tabs on the project's progress via #BackTheBowl's Spacehive crowdfunding page.
