Concert Hall Research

All semester I have been writing a paper on concert halls, specifically spaces designed for symphony orchestras (not opera or theater or dance, which really have different requirements). For most of the paper, I have been writing about Boston's Symphony Hall, Avery Fisher Hall in New York, and the Berlin Philharmonie. But now that I am in the final section of the paper, which addresses contemporary and future halls, I very much want to share some buildings with you.

Elbe Philharmonic--Herzog and de Meuron--Hamburg (under construction):

Copyright Herzog and de Meuron

Copyright Herzog and de Meuron

The Elbe Philharmonic Hall in Hamburg is currently under construction, and has had some delays, due to some technical challenges with its roof. The project is an adaptive reuse of a warehouse (former coffee bean warehouse!) along the Elbe River. The warehouse will become support spaces such as parking garages, etc. On top of the warehouse is where the fun happens. There will be an open air plaza over the warehouse and under the new construction, which is referred to as "The Crystal." The Crystal will house apartments, a hotel, retail and restaurant spaces in addition to a concert hall, which is basically a more fluid version of the Berlin Philharmonie (single room, no proscenium, theater in the round). I am so excited about this building that I'm pretty much going to plan a trip to Germany sometime after it is completed (looking like 2015).

Miami New World Symphony--Frank Gehry--2011

Copyright The New Yorker

Copyright Tampa Bay Times

Frank Gehry's New World Center opened in Miami in 2011. It is much smaller than the typical orchestra performance space, seating ~750 instead of the typical ~2200 to ~2600. The space has tremendous flexibility, with removable seating groups surrounding a central stage. It features 5 large projection screens (that also serve as acoustic reflectors) that may be used for video presentations to accompany the musical performance. But perhaps most remarkable is the adjacent 2.5 acre SoundScape park, designed by the Dutch firm West 8, where the public can view outdoor simulcasts ("Wallcasts") of performances. The sound outside is enhanced by an ERS (Electronic Reflective Energy System), specifically developed for classical music, which simulates the reflected sound one would experience inside the hall.

Also worth looking at: Paris Philharmonie (Jean Nouvel), Danish Radio Concert Hall (Jean Nouvel), Kyoto Concert Hall (Arata Isozaki), but we'll have to talk about those another day, because I've got to get back to my paper.