The National Polish Radio Symphony Orchestra
Structural Designer
BuroHappold Engineering
Client Name
City of Katowice and Konior Studio
Location
Katowice, Poland
ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN
Konior Studio
ACOUSTICS CONSULTANT
Nagata Acoustics
GENERAL CONTRACTOR
Warbud
ACOUSTICS CONSULTANT
Pracownia Akustyczna
LIGHTING PROVIDER
LLT
LANDSCAPE DESIGN
Pleneria
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
This 25,000 m² concert hall is the new home of The National Polish Radio Symphony Orchestra, with capacity for an audience of almost 1,800. The development is divided into three zones: ring-shaped rooms for musicians, an atrium for music lovers to relax and contemplate; and within the main building, the concert hall. Katowice is famed for its Silesian mining culture, and the venue has been designed both to reflect the region’s landscape and heritage (featuring references to the Nikiszowiec district’s brick buildings) and stand as a symbol of modern Poland.
Judge's comment:
This elegant building is fully isolated from its foundations to get the best possible acoustic quality. The judges were impressed by the structural team’s foresight in getting the Coal Mining Company to improve the underlying ground conditions before construction commenced.