Zaha Hadid Architects has been chosen to build the new Sverdlovsk Philharmonic Concert Hall in Yekaterinburg, Russia.
The city of Yekaterinburg, home to the world-renowned Ural Philharmonic Orchestra, has established itself as a cultural and artistic center of Russia. The Philharmonic is known for its sold-out performances in the existing Sverdlovsk Philharmonic building, which dates back to 1936. The orchestra’s new home will serve as an inspiring auditorium and public plaza for the people of the city.
The new Sverdlovsk Philharmonic Concert Hall is characterized by its flexibility, unpredictability, and audacious architectural aesthetic. The design of the building was inspired by the physical characteristics of sound waves: floors, walls, ceilings, and canopies seem to flow, vibrate, and intertwine with one another in effortless and continuously smooth motions.
Zaha Hadid Architects’ design incorporates a 1,600-seat concert hall and a 400-seat chamber music hall, all burrowed within the undulating surface of the suspended canopy, which will extend above the lobby and enclosed urban square. Within the lobby, massive glazed facades blur the boundary between interior and exterior, calling visitors to experience the artistic spaces within. Above the canopy, a public rooftop terrace overlooks the city’s Church of All Saints.
“Russia has been a formative influence on Zaha Hadid Architects’ creative work,” said Christos Passas, project director at Zaha Hadid Architects, in a statement. “From very early in her career, Zaha was attracted to the Russian avant-garde who conceived civic spaces as urban condensers that catalyze a public realm of activity to enrich creativity and community; allowing space itself to enhance our understanding and well-being.” These principles of urban creativity and ingenuity are embedded within the design of the new concert hall, which utilizes a series of public spaces to strengthen the bond of inner-city residents.
Sverdlovsk’s Ministry of Construction and Infrastructure Development organized the design competition with the help of the charity for the Ural Philharmonic Orchestra.
