New 300-seat flexible auditorium dedicated to electronic and contemporary music, located in a former fire brigade building.

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Location   Mons, Belgium.

Project Cost   Approximately 3 million € plus theatre equipment.

Time Frame   Architectural competition 2009, design 2010-2011, opening 2013.

Owner   French speaking community of Belgium and City of Mons.

Architect(s)   Étienne Holoffe, Laurent Vermeersch, Holoffe & Vermeersch, Mons, et Atelier d'Architecture Laurent Niget, Paris.

Theatre Planner(s)   Jacques Moyal, Architecture et Technique, France.

Seat Count   300-seat auditorium for contemporary music with variable seating and mixed seating/standing configurations. Rehearsal rooms, studios and a “chapel of silence” for acoustic installations. Total area 2 500 m².

Uses   Home for “Musiques Nouvelles”, the contemporary music group directed by Jean-Paul Dessy. Music performance and rehearsing, especially for contemporary music. Sound and electronic music installations, sound recording and audiovisual experimenting.

Services   Full acoustic concept and detailed design of music studios and auditorium. Performance space with a high degree of variable acoustics and flexibility.

Team   Eckhard Kahle, Kahle Acoustics.