A collaboration between Zaha Hadid Architects and Sandy Brown Associates, this unique chamber music hall for solo performances of Johann Sebastian Bach exquisite music,
"enhances the multiplicity of Bach’s work through a coherent integration of formal and structural logic. A single continuous ribbon of fabric swirls around itself, creating layered spaces to cocoon the performers and audience with in an intimate fluid space,"
-Zaha Hadid.
The curving ribbon not only creates strong architectural statement but it is also a great acoustic environment as the form helps scatter the sound reflections to eliminate flutter echoes and enhance the acoustic experience of the concert.
"enhances the multiplicity of Bach’s work through a coherent integration of formal and structural logic. A single continuous ribbon of fabric swirls around itself, creating layered spaces to cocoon the performers and audience with in an intimate fluid space,"
-Zaha Hadid.
The curving ribbon not only creates strong architectural statement but it is also a great acoustic environment as the form helps scatter the sound reflections to eliminate flutter echoes and enhance the acoustic experience of the concert.
'The ribbon wraps around the stage, the audience and itself, creating different layered conditions by “alternately compressing to the size of a handrail then stretching to enclose the full height of the room.”
The undulating surface of the fabric shell in a “constant yet changing rhythm” creates a “soft billowing effect”. When the hall is not in use, programmed lighting and a series of dispersed musical recordings will activate the spaces between the ribbon.
In addition to the strong architectural ideas, the music hall must provide clear acoustics for those viewing the concert. “The challenge of the project was to take a gallery space primarily designed for visual art and help Zaha Hadid Architects in their vision to convert it into a modern extraordinary new performance space for chamber music,” explained Mark Howarth, a partner of Sandy Brown Associates.
"For optimum conditions for chamber music it is important to ensure that the reverberation time is not too long as this blurs individual notes so music can lose its intricacy. Equally it should not be too short as this provides a lack of response for the performer and causes the music to sound overly dry,” explained Howarth. If ZHA added too much additional sound absorptive material, the sound would loose a lot of its quality. Thus, a variety of materials were investigated, such as different fabrics, metals and plastics, to ensure that the architectural elements would not take away from the musical experience.'
- Arch Daily.
Images courtesy of Tony Hogg Design and Base Structures, Zaha Hadid Architects, and Luke Hayes.
The undulating surface of the fabric shell in a “constant yet changing rhythm” creates a “soft billowing effect”. When the hall is not in use, programmed lighting and a series of dispersed musical recordings will activate the spaces between the ribbon.
In addition to the strong architectural ideas, the music hall must provide clear acoustics for those viewing the concert. “The challenge of the project was to take a gallery space primarily designed for visual art and help Zaha Hadid Architects in their vision to convert it into a modern extraordinary new performance space for chamber music,” explained Mark Howarth, a partner of Sandy Brown Associates.
"For optimum conditions for chamber music it is important to ensure that the reverberation time is not too long as this blurs individual notes so music can lose its intricacy. Equally it should not be too short as this provides a lack of response for the performer and causes the music to sound overly dry,” explained Howarth. If ZHA added too much additional sound absorptive material, the sound would loose a lot of its quality. Thus, a variety of materials were investigated, such as different fabrics, metals and plastics, to ensure that the architectural elements would not take away from the musical experience.'
- Arch Daily.
Images courtesy of Tony Hogg Design and Base Structures, Zaha Hadid Architects, and Luke Hayes.
a+. zaha hadid architects
a+. sandy brown associates
a+. tony hogg design
a+. luke hayes via arch daily Read more...
