Atelier Thomas Pucher's European Music Center to Open in 2020

The winning design of an international competition in 2010 to house the world-renowned Sinfonia Varsovia Orchestra, Austrian firm Atelier Thomas Pucher's Sinfonia Varsovia European Music Center has been approved to begin construction. As part of a larger campaign to revive Warsaw's historic character and inspire cultural exchange, the Music Center has ranked high on the priority list of the Renewal Program, and is slated to open in 2020.

Read on after the break for a closer look at the Music Center.

Atelier Thomas Pucher's European Music Center to Open in 2020 - Windows, FacadeAtelier Thomas Pucher's European Music Center to Open in 2020 - Image 3 of 12Atelier Thomas Pucher's European Music Center to Open in 2020 - Image 4 of 12Atelier Thomas Pucher's European Music Center to Open in 2020 - Windows, GardenAtelier Thomas Pucher's European Music Center to Open in 2020 - More Images+ 7

Atelier Thomas Pucher's European Music Center to Open in 2020 - Windows, Garden
Courtesy of Atelier Thomas Pucher

Emerging victoriously above 137 other entries in the international competition, the Music Center is a focal point in the historic revival of eastern Warsaw. The site is defined by a floating wall, which allows the striking historical surroundings to shine while containing the program. A centrally-located park creates an inviting space for congregation while an acoustic silent spot hosts a dramatic backdrop for orchestral performances.

Atelier Thomas Pucher's European Music Center to Open in 2020 - Image 4 of 12
Courtesy of Atelier Thomas Pucher

Directly beyond the floating wall's perimeter lie the 1800-seat symphonic hall and rehearsal spaces. Beneath it, the foyer ushers visitors into the Music Center, while throughout the building it weaves the programmatic components together, hosting a number of hospitality and merchandise facilities as it glides between musical spaces. This weaving motion generates secondary hidden spaces, like secluded stairways and a surveillance path, that foster exploration and lend a mysterious atmosphere. 

Atelier Thomas Pucher's European Music Center to Open in 2020 - Image 3 of 12
Courtesy of Atelier Thomas Pucher

By combining the typologies of a "Shoebox hall" and "Arena hall," the Music Center exploits the qualities of each to provide visitors with a breath-taking atmosphere despite the compact area. The rectangular "Shoebox" allows for stellar acoustics and vertical volume, while the "Arena" maximizes views and creates a public ambiance. The insertion of balconies adds another level of drama to the space as visitors are invited to experience the program both laterally and vertically, and the closeness of the building ensures that all visitors feel "inside the music."

Atelier Thomas Pucher's European Music Center to Open in 2020 - Windows, Facade
Courtesy of Atelier Thomas Pucher
  • Architects

  • Design Team

    Thomas Pucher, Stephan Brugger, Manuel Konrad, Robert Lamprecht, Erich Ranegger, Jan Schrader, Dominik Troppan, Elisabeth Maria Weber, Marvi Basha, Bernhard Luthringshausen, Klaus Hohsner
  • Area

    28000.0 sqm
  • Project Year

    2020
  • Photographs

    Courtesy of Atelier Thomas Pucher
  • Project Year

    2020
  • Photographs

    Courtesy of Atelier Thomas Pucher
  • Area

    28000.0 m2

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Cite: Holly Giermann. "Atelier Thomas Pucher's European Music Center to Open in 2020" 24 Mar 2015. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/612686/atelier-thomas-pucher-s-european-music-center-to-open-in-2020> ISSN 0719-8884

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