14 Outstanding Concert Halls: A Perfect Match Between Acoustics and Aesthetics

When we think about a perfect match between acoustics and good design it may not be as easy as it seems. A number of technical decisions in order to make an interior space acoustically efficient -and to achieve its programmatic purpose correctly- can make some of the architect's design intentions fade and be replaced by standard and prefabricated panels.

In this article, we present a selection of architecture projects that are able to create a memorable visual impact as well as an impeccable interior solution for acoustics. These are our favorite 14 music venues that fascinate inside and out.

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Harbin Opera House / MAD Architects

From the proscenium to the mezzanine balcony the grand theater’s use of simple materials and spatial configuration provides world-class acoustics. The grand theater is illuminated in part by a subtle skylight that connects the audience to the exterior and the passing of time.

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© Adam Mørk
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© Adam Mørk

National Sawdust / Bureau V

Bureau V worked closely with acoustics and theatre teams at Arup, to devise an acoustically-driven chamber hall with a wrap-around balcony that accommodates 170 patrons in row seating, 120 patrons in cabaret seating, or up to 350 standing guests. With variable stage configurations that can be lowered flush with the floor, the double-height venue can also hold a 70-piece orchestra for rehearsals and recordings.

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© Floto + Warner
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© Floto + Warner

CKK Jordanki / Fernando Menis

In addition to achieving a strong expression, the picado helps to achieve excellent acoustics. This new technique has been certified by the Institute of Building Research from Spain and Poland, respectively.

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© Jakub Certowicz
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© Jakub Certowicz

Elbphilharmonie Hamburg / Herzog & de Meuron

(...) here the architecture and the arrangement of the tiers take their cue from the logic of the acoustic and visual perception of music, performers and audience. 

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© Iwan Baan
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© Iwan Baan

Aix en Provence Conservatory of Music / Kengo Kuma and Associates

Folding is also applied to the concert hall. An asymmetrical interior was generated as its result, and helped to make a resonance with colorful, free-spirited music by Darius Milhaud (...)

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© Roland Halbe
14 Outstanding Concert Halls: A Perfect Match Between Acoustics and Aesthetics - Image 7 of 32
© Roland Halbe

Foro Boca / Rojkind Arquitectos

In its interior, the concert hall unfolds the technical knowledge of foreign and local specialists in acoustics, isoptics and theatrical mechanics. It possesses the equipment to become the most sophisticated concert hall in the country.

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© Jaime Navarro
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© Jaime Navarro

Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía / Santiago Calatrava

The central core is occupied by the fully air-conditioned auditorium of the main auditorium, which is set within an acoustically shaped shell embedded within the cluster. 

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© Alan Karchmer
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© Palladium Photodesign

Philharmonic Hall Szczecin / Estudio Barozzi Veiga

The great symphonic hall differs from these in that it is a sculpted object, embedded into a barely outlined mineral-like space.

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© Simon Menges
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© Simon Menges

‘Henri Dutilleux’ Conservatoire / Dominique Coulon & associés

The acoustic of each studio is designed to suit one specific instrument. The areas appear to fit into each other. Empty areas are hollowed out of this compact mass, creating relationships between the different levels.

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© Eugeni PONS
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© Eugeni PONS

Musikene / GA + Atxurra Zelaieta Arquitectos

The most important issue to take into account is the acoustic needs that affect all the spaces of the building, needs that ensure the success of the functionality of the building.

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© Aitor Ortiz
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© Jorge Allende

Jazz Campus / Buol & Zünd

The materialization of the interior spaces is superior and rich due to the acoustic requirements. Acoustic needs shape the building a lot as it was necessary to build almost a second house inside the house and meters thick walls.

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© Georg Aerni
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© Georg Aerni

Walt Disney Concert Hall / Frank Gehry

The concert hall's partitions and curved, billowing ceiling act as part of the acoustical system while subtly referencing the sculptural language of the exterior.

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© 2013 Los Angeles Philharmonic Association
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© Gehry Partners, LLP

Xiqu Centre / Revery Architecture + RLP

 The innovative design decision to suspend Xiqu Centre’s breathtaking 1,073-seat Grand Theatre at the top of the building 90 feet (27 metres) off the ground, facilitates internal configuration of the atrium and public plaza while strategically isolating the auditorium from vibration and the high ambient noise levels of its surrounding urban infrastructure.

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© Ema Peter
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© Ema Peter

La Seine Musicale / Shigeru Ban Architects

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Courtesy of Shigeru Ban Architects
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Courtesy of Shigeru Ban Architects

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Cite: Fernanda Castro. "14 Outstanding Concert Halls: A Perfect Match Between Acoustics and Aesthetics" 15 May 2019. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/916560/14-outstanding-concert-halls-a-perfect-match-between-acoustics-and-aesthetics> ISSN 0719-8884

© Jakub Certowicz

14座音乐厅,声学和艺术的完美融合

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