Steven Holl Architects and Architecture Acts, in association with Nagata Acoustics, have been selected to design a new concert hall in Ostrava, Czech Republic. The building's unusual form is described as an "instrument in its case" and will sport an eye-catching zinc roof that has solar panels installed.
The Ostrava Concert Hall will be situated next to a road and will also be built over and around an existing building, Ostrava's House of Culture. Road noise will be mitigated by acoustic panels and by placing the 1,300-seat concert hall at the rear of the building.
"Urban traffic noise is shielded by positioning the hall facing the existing park on the building's rear, while a new entrance on the promenade rises to glide over the top of the existing historical Cultural Center in a sky-lit lobby for the new hall," explains a press release. "A dramatic complimentary contrast between new and old creates a cultural landmark for Ostrava."
The interior layout itself is inspired by work produced by Czech composer Leoš Janáček and will provide a new performance space for the Janáček Philharmonic Orchestra. Elsewhere in the building will be a rehearsal hall, theater, and staff areas.
The Ostrava Concert Hall will get all its electricity from a solar panel system. Additionally, stormwater runoff will be collected and redirected to fill a small lake and used for cooling, along with an efficient heat exchanger system.
The firms were selected to design the Ostrava Concert Hall following an architecture competition and, assuming all goes to plan, it's expected to be completed by 2023.
Source: Steven Holl Architects