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Munich Concert Hall: Green light for further planning
Minister of the Arts Bernd Sibler presents preliminary plans to Bavarian State Parliament Budget Committee: “Lighthouse project for Bavaria sends strong signal to international art scene”.
MUNICH. The Munich Concert Hall project is entering the next planning phase: the Budget Committee of the Bavarian State Parliament today gave the green light for further planning, after Minister of the Arts Bernd Sibler presented the current status of the preliminary planning together with representatives of the Ministry of Construction. He also presented new images of the design of the halls and the outer appearance of the building.
Minister of the Arts Sibler emphasized: “The pandemic in particular has shown how much we need art and what we miss when it falls silent. With the Munich Concert Hall, we are continuing Munich’s great tradition as a city of music in the 21st century. The Budget Committee’s decision on this lighthouse project has a strong signal effect – also for the international art scene. With a unique and emotional sound, music education and outstanding technical equipment for the digital age, we want to make outstanding music an experience for everyone. The new concert hall should will act as a creative powerhouse, in a class with the world’s great concert halls.”
Construction Minister Kerstin Schreyer emphasized, “The planning status that has now been reached meets the high technical, functional and design requirements for a future-oriented concert hall with outstanding acoustics. This was no easy task for the internationally experienced planning team under the leadership of the Munich 1 State Building Authority. In addition to the architects Cukrowicz Nachbaur, numerous other renowned offices have successfully contributed their specialist knowledge and skills. I am pleased that this project, which is important not only for Munich but for all of Bavaria, is taking another step forward with today’s decision by the Budget Committee.”
Special sound concept for a wide variety of programs
The excellent planning team led by architects Cukrowicz Nachbaur (Bregenz) and acoustician Tateo Nakajima (ARUP, London), with around 30 planning offices involved, can now further develop the design for the concert hall. The building will comprise three halls and an extensive area for music education with around 900 square meters:
The Great Hall, with seating for up to 1,900 people, will allow for a wide variety of programs – from classical to jazz to world music. Acoustician Nakajima has developed a special sound concept with a flexible volume for this purpose. The Great Hall will be the new home for the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra with its future chief conductor Sir Simon Rattle at the helm. In the Small Hall, with up to 400 seats and the characteristic shape of an oval, the special focus is on digitality and artistic future formats. A multifunctional hall with up to 200 seats can be used for a wide range of events from concerts and rehearsals to lectures and large workshops. In addition, the Munich University of Music and Performing Arts will have its own project laboratory for new, experimental art in the new concert hall. In cooperation with the Bavarian Broadcasting Corporation, an educational platform for all of Bavaria will be created.
Concert hall in the Werksviertel as a new landmark
The location chosen in 2016 was the Werksviertel directly adjacent to Munich’s Ostbahnhof train station – a new urban district in a former industrial area. Here, the concert hall with its striking shape and special light façade can become a landmark for Munich and Bavaria as a cultural location, visible from afar.