Hollywood & Highland

Los Angeles, CA

Hollywood & Highland has played a central part in the ongoing evolution of Hollywood, the epicenter of the American entertainment industry. While this particular area had long drawn busloads of tourists, it was not known as a pleasant place to be and by the 1990s, Hollywood Boulevard had hit rock bottom. Since its opening in 2002, Hollywood & Highland has established itself as the central place in Hollywood and has been widely cited as the catalyst for the area’s resurgence, spurring a wave of redevelopment.

Sitting on top of one the first new stations along the LA MTA’s Red Line, Hollywood and Highland was one of the first success stories for transit-oriented development in California and anticipated the pedestrian orientation of one of LA’s few truly walkable neighborhoods. Envisioned as a “piazza” for both locals and tourists, Hollywood and Highland was designed around a series of public spaces that serve as outdoor stages, starting with the sweeping steps rising up to the Kodak Theater, the home of the Academy Awards. Inside the block, three promenades link the complex’s various shops, restaurants, and open spaces and form the setting for one of the entertainment industry’s most famous rituals, the walk down the red carpet. A monumental portal frames views of local landmarks like the legendary “Hollywood” sign in the Hills beyond. On the Hollywood Boulevard side, Hollywood & Highland pays homage to the storied boulevard, echoing the rhythm of the surrounding Art Deco architecture.