Construction started on March 9, 1962, and it was dedicated September 27, 1964. The Pavilion was named for Dorothy Buffum Chandler who "led (the) effort to build a suitable home for the Los Angeles Philharmonic and rejuvenate the performing arts in Los Angeles. The result was Mrs. Chandler’s crowning achievement, the Music Center of Los Angeles County. Her tenacious nine-year campaign on behalf of the Music Center produced more than $19 million in private donations" noted Albert Greenstein in 1999. The building was designed by architect Welton Becket. The project was an example of his firm's approach of total design, in which he managed all aspects including design, construction, fixtures, and interior finishes to achieve a coherent whole.