This was a student project by Simon Beskitt for Brian Polgar and Laura Bouwman's course ARCH 7420 in Spring 2018.
While concert halls are treated like instruments, designed for acoustic performance, this project extends the notion to the full program of the building. Drawing upon principles found in waveguide speakers, the three sound-producing venues – the symphony hall, the chamber hall, and the convention space – open up to the interior of the building.
Each space contains one or more “sound ports” which carry the sound through the auxiliary spaces of the building and into the center atrium. The sound ports intertwine and conform to the exterior rectangular geometry, much like an octopus’ tentacles if placed in a jar, and the remainder of the space is given over to music education facilities.
In addition, each venue ports sound to the outside of the building to engage the surrounding park space when desired. The symphony hall therefore facilitates an outdoor listening experience, utilizing an interior spatial geometry similar to a stereo system to deliver music to the hillside behind the building.
