Philharmonie de Paris
The Philharmonie de Paris is the iconic building in the Parc de La Villette. Its enveloping and modular typology offers multiple seating and stage configurations as well as a large range of variable acoustics.
Information Sheet
New Build Philharmonie de Paris philharmoniedeparis.fr
LocationParis, France.
Project Cost 380 million €.
Time Frame Winner of the International competition for acoustician to the client: 2006. Definition of the acoustical brief, elaboration of the acoustical programme and documents for the architectural competition: 2006. Design: 2007-2009. Construction: 2010-2014. Opening: January 2015.
Owner Association Philharmonie de Paris (Ministry of Culture, City of Paris and Region of Paris).
Architect(s) Jean Nouvel, Ateliers Jean Nouvel, Paris www.jeannouvel.com • Brigitte Métra, Métra & Associés, Paris (concert hall) brigittemetra.com
Theatre Planner(s) dUCKS Scéno, France www.ducks.fr
Acoustician(s) to Owner Kahle Acoustics, Brussels • Altia Acoustique, Paris.
Acoustician(s) to Design Team Harold Marshall, Marshall Day Acoustics, Auckland • Yasuhisa Toyota, Nagata Acoustics, Los Angeles (special advisor to Jean Nouvel).
Seat Count 2 400-seat concert hall, 450-seat chamber music hall, rehearsal rooms, offices. Total area approx. 25 000 m².
Uses Main concert hall for the Orchestre de Paris and invited symphony orchestras. Additional programming includes amplified music, world music and jazz.
Services • Acoustician to the Owner From the definition of the acoustical brief through program development, supervision of design, supervision of construction, opening services.
Team Eckhard Kahle, Project Director, Yann Jurkiewicz, Brian F.G. Katz, Thomas Wulfrank, Kahle Acoustics. In collaboration with Altia Acoustique, Paris.
Press
View of the 2 400-seat hall during the opening. Photo © Charles Platiau
View by night of the Philharmonie de Paris's entrance. Photo © Kahle Acoustics
In the 2 400-seat concert hall, the audience surrounds the Orchestre de Paris. Photo © Kahle Acoustics
Panoramic view of the 2 400-seat hall with its envelopping typology where the farthest viewer is only 32 metres away from the conductor The hall consists of an inner, “floating” volume nested within a larger outer volume, allowing direct sound, lateral reflections and reverberation to interweave in order to combine excellent clarity and transparency with ample resonance. Photo © Nicolas Borel
The 283-m² stage of the Grande Salle features motorized platforms and can accommodate any orchestral formation. The choir balcony being retractable, a frontal stage can be put in place. The floor seating can be removed in order to enlarge the stage or accomodate standing audience. Photo © Nicolas Borel
The 15-metre high by 20-metre wide organ — manufactured by The Ateliers Rieger — has been conceived for the symphonic repertoire. Photo © Beaucardet
View onto the floating balconies, with their ribbon-like back walls and the suspended cloud-shaped reflectors. All surfaces, from the balcony fronts to the balcony soffits as well as the back walls and the reflectors contribute to the acoustic reflections. Photo © Nicolas Borel
The important quantity of reflecting surfaces contributes to the early lateral reflections, providing intimacy and envelopment to every spectator. Photo © Nicolas Borel
Detail of the outer acoustic volume, located between the back of the balconies and the outer wall of the hall, which contributes to the long reverberation of the sound. Photo © Nicolas Borel
Detail of one of the entrances leading into the Grande Salle through the outer acoustic volume. Photo © Nicolas Borel
Access doors to the second floor balcony. Photo © Kahle Acoustics
1:10 scale model of the 2 400-seat concert hall. Photo © Kahle Acoustics
1:10 scale model of the 2 400-seat concert hall. Photo © Kahle Acoustics
1:10 scale model of the 2 400-seat concert hall. Photo © Kahle Acoustics
1:10 scale model of the 2 400-seat concert hall. Photo © Kahle Acoustics
1:10 scale model of the 2 400-seat concert hall. Photo © Kahle Acoustics