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Unbelievable Concert Hall in Paris [PICS]

dezeen.com — The 2,400 seat auditorium designed by Jean Nouvel is due to open in 2012.

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  • elsewhen, on 10/12/2007, -3/+21the exterior is pretty interesting, but it is these pictures of the interior that are so amazing... i wonder why will it take 5 years to build?
    • CaptA, on 10/12/2007, -57/+9To elsewhen asking,
      "i wonder why will it take 5 years to build?"
      *********
      ANSWER: France is only a step away from requiring a committee, a license and an oversight board necessary to "breathe air!" Yes, it is THAT bad in most of France to get anything done without approval of the state (Local government up) with immense sanctions in line for anyone who disapproves of state requirements! In fact, traveling around Europe, I've come to the understanding that the race between France and Germany, as to who will become the "champ" of bureaucracy is ongoing! Unions - strike threats, government wheedling, expenditures of public monies, poor accountability and shuffling of responsibility could be the REAL reason for a five-year build. It boggles the mind that these two-countries still remain in existence. And just think, everything I've just mentioned, are the GOOD things to report. Now for the BAD things ... starting with: The world is filled with GOOD people allegedly doing good -- with OTHER peoples' money.... Sad, but true. So now you know...
    • diggerhater, on 10/12/2007, -1/+52@CaptA

      I don't think he meant that as a comment on french politics. I think its just a damn complicated design.
    • Indeed, on 10/12/2007, -15/+6It's very "Hey I just started learning Maya!"

      but in a good way?
    • logicalnoise, on 10/12/2007, -1/+205 years is nothing, the walt disney concert hall in LA took 11.
    • robo73, on 10/12/2007, -2/+45It's going to take half that time to find a contractor dumb enough to take the job.

      Contractors/developers HATE architects with design *ideas*.
    • btraut, on 10/12/2007, -9/+1710 bucks says the designer originally modeled this building with Play-doh and GI Joes. While drunk.
    • dclowd9901, on 10/12/2007, -5/+1I'm not entirely sure what I'm looking at. It looks as though those balconies are being suspended in midair.
    • alf86, on 10/12/2007, -3/+4"i wonder why will it take 5 years to build?"

      It's a contest design, so it is *very* conceptual (the actual building may not even look much like the renderings). It will take a few years to fully develop the design, work out the engineering, etc., and get construction documents done. Include all of the permitting, surveys, various analysis, and bidding processes (I assume the French contractors do bidding), then, of course, there is actual building time. Any project of this size takes years from beginning to end. Even a house can take a couple of years.
    • tugger, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5Ever been to charles-de-gaulle airport in paris.

      It was a design classic, but you'll only ever go there once by choice...
    • yorkie, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4Looks just like the carousel from Logan's Run. Wonder if there's a 30 year old age limit to visit this?
    • Shuk, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Now THAT's the future!
    • Adma1, on 10/12/2007, -6/+6This is probably what the inside of Paris' vagina looks like.
    • serpentor, on 10/12/2007, -3/+3Shame that CaptA is being dugg down, his comment is spot on.
    • Tanglefuzz, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Put Laurent Garnier in it and I'll be booking a flight...
  • kaiserollofdoom, on 10/12/2007, -8/+3Someone watches clichéd science fiction movies
    • starvo, on 10/12/2007, -2/+14It does have a sort of 2001-ey feel to it. That being said, French, American, British, whomever.. it's just good to see people putting risky designs out there, and getting them built.
  • austenw, on 10/12/2007, -0/+40Wow. I wonder what the actual acoustic value those walls actually serve, if any. Seems pretty cool, either way.
    • Jamfan16, on 10/12/2007, -6/+4The lack of doors is what I noticed first. You could be in the restroom doing your thing and still hear the show... and maybe everyone else can hear you, too.....
    • mikesbaker, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1Like the Naked Gun?
  • nuck, on 10/12/2007, -17/+6I'll take a normal auditorium any day. Something practical with good acoustics. People without real architectural skills just do something "weird" to get a reaction ...
    • KidVicious, on 10/12/2007, -1/+44Hey, the acoustics in there could be the best of any auditorium around. We can't judge stuff like that from a couple of CG pictures.
    • cdcarter, on 10/12/2007, -2/+2I am gonna guess you don't know who Jean Nouvel is, do you?
    • duckrank, on 10/12/2007, -2/+4I'm with nuck on this one. If the real concert hall is anything like the CG drawings, they could run into major issues.

      The first thing you may want to notice is the extreme use of concave surfaces in the secondary structure (the inside). Concave surfaces focus sound into specific places, and therefore are not what you want for a concert hall. There's a reason why the world's best concert halls look similar (for the secondary structure, if done right, the architect can do whatever he wants with the primary [outside] structure).

      A well-done concert hall should have:
      - No parallel walls
      - No 45deg angles
      - No concave surfaces

      At their best concert halls shouldn't be in the round, simply because music is directional. The people behind the orchestra will be prone to inferior sound. Not that this would change anything, you can always sell those seats because most people assume that just because they're closer they'll be able to hear better.

      I am happy to read that they'll make use adjustable acoustics for different types of music. Without seeing the plans I'm unable to speculate how well this will work.

      I'm happy to see (after some research : http://www.playbillarts.com/news/article/6331.html ) that the concert hall will be good for distance from the sound source(s). I don't know much about the acoustical consultants (Marshall Day Acoustics), so I can't comment about them.

      If you're interested in further reading on the subject of theater/concert hall acoustics I would suggest reading some of the works by the late George C. Izenour. I would especially take note of the book entitled "Theater Design." The book is currently out of print, but you may be able to find it via a library or an architect’s office if you know any (most of the good ones that work on theater own a copy.)

      I will be interested to see how it plays out. I'll have to show this article to my theater/architecture teacher (a colleague of the aforementioned theater consultant).
  • Rachmaninoff, on 10/12/2007, -0/+21There are some more/better pictures here:
    http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/14/arts/design/14hall.html?_r=1
  • Shad0wSP, on 10/12/2007, -0/+16cool, but i feel like i would bump into the walls in that place
    • aswilliamson, on 10/12/2007, -0/+35That is if you could figure out where the floor ends and the wall begins.
  • redmond007, on 10/12/2007, -25/+3nice. too bad it's french.
  • rushco, on 10/12/2007, -7/+14Now their tax dollars goes to something nice. Ours go to killing people. =(
    • Timmmm, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Actually I don't think they buy anything with tax dollars.

      Repeat after me: The world has more stuff in it than just the US!
    • BeyondGoodNEvil, on 10/12/2007, -3/+1Ours goes to war, and countries like Israel, who get $6 BILLION a year of our tax money, simply because AIPAC, a lobby exclusively working for the interests of a foreign nation, Israel, is one of the top 2 most powerful lobby groups in Washington. A first world nation gets OUR tax dollars simply because candidates fear being called anti-Semitic and seeing their next election's opposition being flooded with campaign financing, inevitably resulting in their loss. As long as the voters are more impressed with appearance than ideals, our country will continue spinning down the toilet.
  • aswilliamson, on 10/12/2007, -6/+1It looks like it is impossible to actually build. How incredibly postmodern.
  • sally00, on 10/12/2007, -1/+6As Mikey Day said on the sequel of David Blaine's Street Magic......


    "***** EFFFF!!"
  • Shaman760, on 10/12/2007, -6/+3WOW!! I can't wait to play there!!!

    Gotta hand it to France- they know how to build a concert hall. I have played at the Antique Roman Theater in Vienne and that was quite an experience.....

  • m3mn0n, on 10/12/2007, -3/+1and the blog will crash in 5, 4, 3....
  • tonich03, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3that blew my mind, incredible.
  • afeitarse, on 10/12/2007, -10/+5Wow, I knew the bitch was loose, but they were able to fit an entire CONCERT HALL in Paris?

    I have a feeling that's one show I'm not going to get tickets for.
  • gormenghast, on 10/12/2007, -3/+2This is the kind of thing to which I'd usually say "holy geez that must have cost a bundle!"

    But it's so ***** spiffy, so I don't!
  • roadtripper, on 10/12/2007, -2/+2note: someone please digg this story 5 years from now when it's actually built so we can marvel at the pics.

    in the meantime, i'll be checking out pics of the Sydney Opera House. (actually, i'll most likely be drinking)
  • RaulMontana, on 10/12/2007, -3/+9Imagine a Pink Floyd concert there, trippy!
  • AllLitUp, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Mirrors:

    http://photoslivehere.com/viewer.php?file=t1rejlawyttjzma4tyjm.jpg
    http://photoslivehere.com/viewer.php?file=5yztzoy32knn2nd3qnei.jpg
    http://photoslivehere.com/viewer.php?file=1cotthnodmiwjdlizgro.jpg
    http://photoslivehere.com/viewer.php?file=j4tnxmjmzodycnotkiz1.jpg
  • funkspiel, on 10/12/2007, -4/+3i like frogs.
  • CatalystDM, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1Looks a little like the EMP, except cooler.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Experience_Music_Project
  • chickensofdoom, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2That's amazing. I think it'd really add something to the already mind blowing architecture throughout the city... I can't wait to visit it one day.
  • mz00m, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1Cool concept, but I fear this will look dated very quickly... just like Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris. Interesting concept at the time, but in practice... it sucks.
  • KuntaKinte, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3i want some croissants now
  • jiludi, on 10/12/2007, -5/+1cold and sterile
    • bugsy187, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2i disagree, it has beautiful, organic forms that flow as the music might sound. what strikes you as cold or sterile?
  • musicphreke, on 10/12/2007, -6/+1Photoshopped
  • mattyjim2, on 10/12/2007, -3/+0so this is what the french did with all that cash after losing the olympics to london...
  • aratika, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3Form Follows Fad
  • Dhalgren, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3This place is scary looking...
  • spaceyraygun, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0krull?!
  • andergriff, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Designed by the firm of Jetson and Jetson.
  • moonhead, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4Do you think Slayer would play there??
  • bluenash, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Logan's run.
  • bleutuna, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3Absolutely beautiful.
  • crashflow, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3great, but if i were inside that building, i'd have this irrational fear that the tide would come in and wash the concert hall away.
  • WayneMan, on 10/12/2007, -2/+5Sure...it looks cool...

    ...but the acoustics make it sound like everyone is speaking French...
  • c_2_g, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2uh, star wars?
  • SilverBack101, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Wonder what the acoustics are like since it really does matter how the shape of the theater and surrounding areas deal with the way the sound will spread.

    The Greek Amphitheaters and theaters around the World ascribe to the half moon shape because it works properly.

  • Amablue, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Is that even constructed in three dimensional space?
  • eatsushi, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2reminds me of that movie Krull, where he went to rescue his princess.

    /nerd
    • rushiku, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1Exactly, I was thinking "I like Krull, but I don't know that I like Krull enough to make a Krull themed concert hall..."

      I'm hoping the outside isn't as craptastic as the Disney Concert Hall.
    • eatsushi, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1it actually looks like the epcot center on the outside. sorry dude.
  • AndrewLZ, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1As proposed, this design looks hideous. It looks like nothing more than a hodge podge of random curves that make no coherent whole. It's very sad that Paris's otherwise beautiful architecture will be ruined by this monstrosity.

    It's amazing to me that no one will outright identify the 800 pound gorilla in the room.
  • TimFrost, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Anyone else than me that thinks that top balcony would be rather scary to sit on?
  • LiamIsOnFire, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2I can't even tell what's going on...
  • SurfSlade, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0We all know what french design mean

    Another Terminal 2e

    http://www.volle.com/opinion/roissy_fichiers/image001.jpg
  • cantimolto, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1There seems to be a lot missing from the concept pictures. For example, the pipe organ in picture 2 is literally floating. Obviously, an organ can't work like that.
  •  

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