The World�s First �Acoustically Perfect� Concert Hall Opens in Germany
Photo by Iwan Baan The newly opened Elbphilharmonie concert hall in Hamburg, Germany is a visually stunning structure from a design perspective, with its gorgeous wave-shaped facade, curved elevators, and its seemingly endless stairs. However, the focal point of the $843 million building is its one of a kind central auditorium designed specifically for a balanced sound throughout the concert hall. As reported by Wired , Swiss architectural firm Herzog and De Meuron worked alongside One to One studio to painstakingly build the coral reef-like structure from 10,000 unique acoustic panels lining the ceiling, walls, and balustrades. The 10,000 panels feature a total of one million �cells,� or divots designed to shape sound within the auditorium. When sound waves hit a panel, the uneven surface either absorbs or scatters them to create a balanced reverberation across the entire auditorium. Herzog and De Meuron collaborated wit...