Eric Reiter Photography
Philarmony building
The Grande-Duchesse Joséphine-Charlotte Concert Hall (also called the Philarmony building) is a concert hall located on the Kirchberg plateau in the City of Luxembourg. Opened in 2005, it now plays host to 400 performances each year and is one of the main concert halls in Europe.
The inspiration for constructing a concert hall in Luxembourg is closely linked to the old RTL Symphonic Orchestra, now known as the Luxembourg Philharmonic Orchestra (OPL - Orchestre philharmonique du Luxembourg). With the privatisation of RTL in 1992, the channel was no longer obliged to support an orchestra. The Luxembourg State decided to take the orchestra over and place it in the responsibility of an establishment specially created for this purpose, the Henri Pensis Foundation. This step acted as the catalyst for political action in favour of ensuring the construction of a suitable concert hall.
In 1995, Luxembourg was nominated European Capital of Culture. The great success of this initiative demonstrated the need for cultural facilities to be further developed. In the same year, the Luxembourg Parliament made the decision to construct, amongst other new structures, a concert hall.
Architect Christian de Portzamparc’s initial idea was to mark the entrance into the world of music through a natural filter. This idea became reality in the form of 823 facade columns made of white steel, arranged in three or four rows. The interior row of columns containing technical facilities, the second supporting the windows, and the third being of a static nature.
Between the filter of columns and the central nucleus, a vast peristyle constitutes the foyer, enveloping the Grand Auditorium. Ramps, stairs and footways lead into the concert hall, surrounding it and linking it to the boxes.
The Salle de Musique de Chambre, the ticket office and access to the underground car park are not within the main building, but are next to it outside within two aluminium-covered shells which lean against the filter of columns.
The acoustic design of the three halls is the work of Chinese-born acoustician Albert Yaying Xu with AVEL Acoustique.
Philarmony building
The Grande-Duchesse Joséphine-Charlotte Concert Hall (also called the Philarmony building) is a concert hall located on the Kirchberg plateau in the City of Luxembourg. Opened in 2005, it now plays host to 400 performances each year and is one of the main concert halls in Europe.
The inspiration for constructing a concert hall in Luxembourg is closely linked to the old RTL Symphonic Orchestra, now known as the Luxembourg Philharmonic Orchestra (OPL - Orchestre philharmonique du Luxembourg). With the privatisation of RTL in 1992, the channel was no longer obliged to support an orchestra. The Luxembourg State decided to take the orchestra over and place it in the responsibility of an establishment specially created for this purpose, the Henri Pensis Foundation. This step acted as the catalyst for political action in favour of ensuring the construction of a suitable concert hall.
In 1995, Luxembourg was nominated European Capital of Culture. The great success of this initiative demonstrated the need for cultural facilities to be further developed. In the same year, the Luxembourg Parliament made the decision to construct, amongst other new structures, a concert hall.
Architect Christian de Portzamparc’s initial idea was to mark the entrance into the world of music through a natural filter. This idea became reality in the form of 823 facade columns made of white steel, arranged in three or four rows. The interior row of columns containing technical facilities, the second supporting the windows, and the third being of a static nature.
Between the filter of columns and the central nucleus, a vast peristyle constitutes the foyer, enveloping the Grand Auditorium. Ramps, stairs and footways lead into the concert hall, surrounding it and linking it to the boxes.
The Salle de Musique de Chambre, the ticket office and access to the underground car park are not within the main building, but are next to it outside within two aluminium-covered shells which lean against the filter of columns.
The acoustic design of the three halls is the work of Chinese-born acoustician Albert Yaying Xu with AVEL Acoustique.