Polish concert hall wins modernist award

Polish concert hall wins modernist award

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norman lebrecht

May 19, 2015

Polish architecture is not usually cutting-edge, so it’s quite a coup that the new concert hall in Szczecin has won the 2015 Mies van der Rohe Award for the Barcelona firm Barozzi/Veiga.

The hall is constructed ‘following a Fibonacci sequence whose fragmentation increases with the distance from the scene, and gives shape to an ornamental space which reminds of the classical tradition through its gold-leaf covering.’

Szczecin_Philharmonic_Interior_Saal_0

Szczecin competed against 420 other projects for the €60,000 award.

Szczecin_Philharmonic_Hall

 

Photo © Simon Menges via Fundació Mies van der Rohe

 

Comments

  • John Borstlap says:

    It looks absolutely ghastly and the reference to the classical tradition is ridiculous. Audiences will attend performances there with their eyes closed.

    • Ellingtonia says:

      Please feel free to join us in the 21st century at your convenience……………….

      • Prewartreasure says:

        +1

      • John Borstlap says:

        ….. but that is the point: this is obviously ‘time capsule architecture’ from the last century. It is not the calendar which dictates styles, but the architects, the people who are supposed to be creative. In Berlin, they build-up the old royal palace again which had been bombed in WW II and turn it into a museum for world culture. The new concert hall in Nashville reinterprets a classical style and it seems to be an excellent venue. In England, Francis and Quinlan Terry build in a classicla style and with success (they recently built an office blok in a Palladio style in London’s centre); Leon Krier even built a whole town which is immensily popular (Poundbury). These are new projects, seeking a human architecture, restoring the continuity with older architecture which so often give character and identity to towns and cities, instead of the bland, impersonal and ‘functional’ styles of the last century.

    • William Safford says:

      But how does it sound? I’d gladly attend concerts there, eyes open or closed, if the sound is excellent. (Well, if I ever visit Poland….)

  • Pianofortissimo says:

    Interesting. Does the Fibonacci structure in any way influence the acoustics?

  • Anon says:

    This hall was mentioned in the recent NY Times article on outstanding new Polish concert hall. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/05/arts/music/polands-concert-hall-revival.html?_r=0

  • Mattheos says:

    Actually the city is called Szczecin [ˈʂt͡ʂɛt͡ɕin]

  • Hanna Lachert says:

    There is a LOT of creative and imaginative new buildings in Poland.
    Two outstanding examples are: The POLIN Museum in Warsaw and Krzysztof Penderecki Europeen Center for Music in Lusławice

    • Michael Moran says:

      Absolutely true Hanna as much with modern Poland that is unrecognized. Too many people have that old grim grey wartime view of the country which it seems is impossible to dislodge. Well, it is their loss.

      This being said, why is it that the capital Warsaw still does not have a world class modern concert hall? Szczecin of all places – over 600 kms from Warsaw. Nothing against Pomerania, one of the most beautiful parts of Europe and relatively undeveloped.

      There is a terrible lack of political will towards assisting the musical arts in this country. Odd considering the bevy of illustrious past Polish Jewish musicians of genius (hope this word order does upset anyone in 2015 but one never knows).

      Of course sport rules funding in Poland and encounters no obstacles to finance. Not that I am against sport either he hastened to add.

      Oh, I live in Warsaw and enjoy it immensely particularly in summer. Even Taki in The Spectator the other week recommended moving here or to Vienna from London…..

      • John Borstlap says:

        Warsaw was thorougly bombed in WW II with nothing left but heaps of rubble. Then the city center was carefully build-up again, down to its details. Instead of using the opportunity to build a new glass, concrete and steel centre, as they did in bombed Rotterdam in Holland, Warsaw was restored in its former glory, because it was all OLD and full of character and identity. It is the past which brings character and cultural identity into the future.

  • Michael Moran says:

    Absolutely true Hanna as much with modern Poland that is unrecognized. Too many people have that old grim grey wartime view of the country which it seems is impossible to dislodge. Well, it is their loss.

    This being said, why is it that the capital Warsaw still does not have a world class modern concert hall? Szczecin of all places – over 600 kms from Warsaw. Nothing against Pomerania, one of the most beautiful parts of Europe and relatively undeveloped.

    There is a terrible lack of political will towards assisting the musical arts in this country. Odd considering the bevy of illustrious past Polish Jewish musicians of genius (hope this ‘PJ’ word order does upset anyone in 2015 but one never knows).

    Of course sport rules funding in Poland and encounters no obstacles to finance. Not that I am against sport either he hastened to add.

    Oh, I live in Warsaw and enjoy it immensely particularly in summer. Even the cosmopolitan columnist Taki in The Spectator the other week recommended moving here or to Vienna from contemporary London…..

  • Jonathan Powell says:

    Let’s hope that one day there will be a decent hall for chamber music in Krakow … does anyone know of one?

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