Bandstand

A simple construction, it both creates an ornamental focal point and also serves acoustic requirements while providing shelter for the changeable weather, if outdoors.

In form bandstands resemble ornamental European garden gazebos modeled on outdoor open-sided pavilions found in Asian countries from early times.

During the 18th and 19th centuries this type of performance building was found in the fashionable pleasure gardens of London and Paris where musicians played for guests dining and dancing.

Many bandstands in the United Kingdom originated in the Victorian era as the British brass band movement gained popularity.

The parks where most bandstands are found were created in response to the Industrial Revolution, when local authorities realized worsening conditions in urban areas meant there was an increasing need for green, open spaces where the general public could relax.

[1] Gazebo bandstands appeared in the United States after the Civil War (1861–65) to accommodate the brass and percussion "cornet" bands found in towns of every size.

In 1913 Frank Lloyd Wright designed a freestanding bandshell with edge–supported cantilever roof and no side posts for his Midway Gardens (demolished 1929) in Chicago.

[4] Herne Bay, Kent contains a totally enclosed bandstand with a stage and cafe area, topped with copper-clad domes.

[6] Scotland's many ironwork foundries and manufacturers built bandstands that were subsequently erected at locations throughout the United Kingdom.