The relationship between architecture and music has existed throughout history and can be observed in various aspects. The way architectural spaces are designed can affect the sound quality and auditory experience of a musical piece. The acoustics of a place, determined by its shape, size, and materials used in its construction, can influence how sounds and music are perceived. That's why architecture plays an essential role in the design of auditoriums and concert halls. The aspects to consider include space distribution, seat placement, the shape of the venue, and acoustics to ensure an optimal sonic experience.
Some architects specialized in this field have achieved iconic designs that have become reference points for music worldwide. The combination of architecture and music in the same environment can enhance people's emotional experiences. Both disciplines share elements that can mutually influence and enrich the way we experience both built spaces and music.
Contemporary architecture in Mexico has acquired a distinct hallmark worldwide; projects like Mario Pani's National Conservatory of Music have hosted key moments where these two disciplines merge. We have compiled a list of projects where architecture and music come together to create spaces that address the aspects mentioned earlier in this article. Keep reading to discover the complete list.
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Architecture for the Performing Arts: 15 Venues in MexicoKithara Music Kiosk / TO
"The Kithara Music Hall is a space for teaching and practicing guitar, but it is also a musical kiosk. It is located in a marginalized area of Mexico City called Yuguelito, situated in Iztapalapa. This area is known for its high levels of violence, poor soil quality, and water scarcity. Yuguelito stands on land that was once a debris dump from the 1985 earthquake. The community worked to improve the soil for construction and establish a residential area."
Music House / Colectivo C733
"The Music House consists of eight classrooms, a cafeteria, restrooms, and administrative areas. Thanks to the sloped roof, each of these spaces has double height and a high window to observe the treetops. The complex is the first building in the town to contribute clean water to the rivers through a system that culminates with a series of wetland treatment areas. We aim to demonstrate an alternative approach to bodies of water. The spaces were constructed to be spacious and well-ventilated, using local coconut wood, clay bricks, and clay tiles to provide warmth, natural freshness, and good acoustics."
Palace for Mexican Music / Alejandro Medina Arquitectura + Reyes Ríos + Larraín arquitectos + Muñoz arquitectos + Quesnel arquitectos
"The architectural design of the Palacio de la Música Mexicana is defined as the integration of a modern building that is sensitive to its context with significant historical value. Due to its location, but above all, due to its program of broadly social uses, it has been conceived as a public building with the opportunity and potential to revitalize and regenerate the area in the historic center of Mérida where it is situated."
Foro Boca / Rojkind Arquitectos
"Foro Boca fits within a master plan that seeks to revitalize an urban area that is currently deteriorated. It is located at the mouth of the river, a place that not only gives its name to the city and municipality but also holds historical and culinary tradition significance. The site is situated at the beginning of the breakwater that separates the river from the sea. It marks the end of the coastal avenue Vicente Fox when it meets the river, but it also serves as the endpoint of Zamora Street, known for its traditional restaurants, extending all the way to the municipal center."
Mexiquense Cultural Center Anahuac / Grinberg + Topelson Arquitectos + Broissin
"The "Teatro Ángel y Tere Losada," with a capacity for 1,300 people, possesses all the necessary features concerning acoustics, optics, theater mechanics, orchestra pit, stage area, stagecraft, and dimensions to host any international manifestation of Fine Arts: ballet, theater, symphonic concerts, and opera. The architectural body showcases a unique identity and respect for the campus context. A rectangular prism, primarily composed of aluminum and glass closures, shapes the exterior of the project and protects the central structure of the entire "Teatro Ángel y Tere Losada" complex, which is entirely made of concrete."
Chapel Music Studio / Goko MX
"We adopted the Japanese concept of "Ma" space, creating a transition between the city noise and the interior of the studio by implementing filtering access to the project. The entrance is through a very dark and acoustically isolated tunnel, accompanied by atmospheric sounds activated by body movement. A few meters at the end of the tunnel, two doors await to be pushed open to enter "Chapel," as we named the studio."
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