Great Amber Concert Hall /
Volker Giencke
Designed by Graz architect
Music School’s instruction and
excellent results, with acoustics
Volker Giencke, the Great
rehearsal rooms, thus producing
based on the principle of an
Amber Concert Hall has been
a favourable blend of space to
oval, terraced vineyard. Reaching
inaugurated on 7 November in
foster communication betwee n
high above the roof, fourteen
Liepaja, Latvia. The first – and
artists, students and teachers.
mirror-finished reflective tubes
most momentous – phase of this
An additional Chamber Hall
flood the Concert Hall with
multistage project envisioning
situated beneath the Concert
daylight, creating a unique
the construction of a cultural
Hall as well as a Ballet Studio
atmosphere inside.
urban district is thus completed.
and an Experimental Stage with
In 2003, Volker Giencke won
a foyer, Bar & Music Club on the
Light plays a key role at the
the international architectural
fifth floor complete the spatial
façade of “Great Amber”,
competition for a new cultural
concept.
too. Attached to a delicately
interwoven steel construction,
Archetech - Page 90
centre in this traditional
seaport on the Baltic Sea. The
The Concert Hall can also
its amber-coloured glazing
construction work started in
be adapted for congresses,
bathes the inside area in
2013.
exhibitions and receptions by
soft warm light. At night, the
elevating the orchestra pit and
building turns into a transparent
“Great Amber” is a monolithic,
the stalls. Moreover, “Civita Nova”
luminous element, making its
cone-shaped, slightly contorted
offers an additional 2,000 m2
interior and many different
structure with a transparent,
of space for multifunctional
functions visible from the
amber- coloured façade. This
events, thus fully responding
outside. During the day, the
façade envelops the irregular
to the architect’s idea of “Great
building’s external glazing
folded work of the concrete
Amber” as a venue catering
glows in varying surrounding
structure built around the
for all kinds of purposes that is
colours and shades, offering
building’s most important
freely accessible to the people of
truly stunning impressions.
architectural element: the grand
Liepaja.
Convincing in terms of both
Concert Hall providing seating
architecture and content, this
for more than 1,000 visitors.
Volker Giencke also developed
symbolic effect emphasises
The hall itself is surrounded
the acoustics concept together
“Great Amber’s” connection to
by the rooms of the Liepaja
with Karlheinz Müller / Müller-
the city. It is a new landmark of
Symphony Orchestra and the
BBM, Munich; they achieved
modern Liepaja.