Casa da Musica

Related people

Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA) (was created by)
Rem Koolhaas (architect)

Date

2005

Location

Europe->Portugal->Porto District->Porto

Description

In response to Porto's selection as one of the two cultural capitals of Europe for 2001, Porto held a competition for a new concert hall to be positioned in the historical center of Porto, the Rotunda da Boavista. It was to be called Casa da Musica (House of Music).
The winning entry, by the Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA),"addressed the relationship between the Concert Hall and the public inside as well as outside the building by considering the building as a solid mass from which were eliminated the two shoe-box shaped concert halls and all other pubic program creating a hollowed out block."
The main programmatic components include a 1,300-seat grand auditorium, a 350-seat small auditorium, eight rehearsal rooms with recording facilities, a music shop, cyber and educational facilities, VIP room, restaurant and roof terrace, and a parking lot for 600 cars.
"During the design phase OMA researched new materials and new applications of existing and Portuguese materials exclusively for Casa da Musica such as: the corrugated glass for the windows of the Auditoria, the used tiles for different rooms and the chairs, canopy and wall finish in the Grand Auditorium."
All quotes from: Bouchez, H. (2005). Feature: Recent Projects: Casa da Musica. A+U Architecture and Urbanism, v.8(419), p.97.

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