The Jamie Hurd Amphitheater, designed in collaboration with Confluence landscape architects, creates a destination for the residents and visitors to gather for shared cultural experiences such as concerts, movies, and festivals.

Located opposite a pond from the West Des Moines City Hall and the West Des Moines Public Library, the amphitheater is intended to be a new landmark for the growing community. The structure frames views to the buildings across the water while the materiality and form complement the existing structures, unifying and completing the civic campus.

The cantilevered steel truss, resembling a folded piece of paper, is designed to direct acoustics, protect performers, and elegantly blend with the campus, creating a form that is both airy and grounded. Designed to accommodate a variety of performances and events, the stage can fit up to 55 musicians with lawn seating for up to 2,000 spectators. Cast-in-place concrete walls, treated with color and form liner, hide the stage support and AV spaces from spectators.

The amphitheater is second phase of the city’s Five Waters Project.