Walt Disney concert hall building – Los Angeles, United States – Architecture photography by Giuseppe Milo is licensed under CC BY 2.0
The wild, expressive Walt Disney Concert Hall is located in downtown Los Angeles.
Lilian Disney donated $50 million to establish the hall in memory of her late husband, Walt. A design competition was held to determine the architect and Frank Gehry’s proposal was selected.
Completed in 2003, this building later became an example of Gehry’s signature style. The abstract flowing exterior design references music and the movement of the city. Stainless steel was used to achieve the curved shapes and also to enable some of the forms to not contact the ground.
Unlike other concert halls, the seating wraps around the stage. The interior is open without columns to ensure a clear view. Some audience members can even see the sheet music. In order to achieve excellent acoustics, a 1:10 scale model was made of the Hall complete with a person in each seat!
At the back of the hall is a towering organ with 6,134 pipes which nearly reach the ceiling. The ceiling is part of the acoustics while also complementing the stainless steel exterior design. The space can hold up to 2,265 people.
Home to the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, classical, contemporary, world music and jazz can be enjoyed here.
