Global architectural wonders that captivate the eye with their exterior beauty and delight the ear with tastefully designed acoustics
The world is graced with a diverse array of concert halls, each uniquely crafted with distinct architectural and acoustic designs.
Whether they are towering architectural monuments or community-centric auditoriums, some drew inspiration from the surrounding nature and heritage, seamlessly blending with their environment, while others serve as visionary representations of the future they aspire to shape for their locales.
Explore nine concert halls worldwide that not only captivate with their designs on the outside but also boast masterful acoustics within the music halls.
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1. Walt Disney Concert Hall, Los Angeles
Although already renowned for his architectural designs that “defy categorisation” with their elements of deconstructivism, Frank Gehry could not have anticipated the unexpected commission to build the Walt Disney Concert Hall.
Despite this, Gehry’s unwavering commitment to experimenting with architecture and challenging the conventions of classical aesthetics in an elegant manner caught the attention of Walt Disney’s widow, Lillian.
Initially envisioning a stone façade for the Concert Hall, Gehry’s clients were captivated by his 1997 masterpiece, the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain–a structure hailed by modernist architect Philip Johnson as “the greatest building of our time.” As a result, they insisted on a similar exterior for the Walt Disney Concert Hall, crafted from stainless steel with a matte finish and adorned with glass fissures that delicately filtered light into the expansive lobby.
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