Stavanger Concert Hall at the mouth of Vågen Bay.

Stavanger Concert Hall at the mouth of Vågen Bay.

The double glazed facade of the foyer stretching towards the harbour.

View from the foyer outside the main concert hall, facing the harbour.

The main foyer, upper level.

The foyer with Jeffrey Inaba‘s installation “Skylight 2”.

Main staircase up through the foyer.

The concert hall. The balcony structure is separated from the walls. The space can be “tuned” with moveable elements.

The concert hall. The balcony structure is separated from the walls. The space can be “tuned” with moveable elements.

The concert hall. From the opening concert.

The multi-purpose hall, a robust black box offering a variety of seating arrangements.

From the gallery outside the red concrete box of the concert hall.

Junction between the concrete box of the concert hall and the glass-encased multi-purpose hall.

The concert hall with the outdoor amphitheatre and the main ground floor entrance.

Outdoor amphitheatre.

The landscaping connects the concert hall with the adjacent Bjergsted Park. Landscape architects: Sundt og Thomassen as/Landskaperiet as

From the opening performance, with dancers inside the facade.

Site plan.

Ground floor plan. Concert hall at the top, multi-purpose hall at the bottom.

Second floor plan. Concert hall at the top, multi-purpose hall and main foyer at the bottom.

Fourth floor plan, balcony level. Concert hall at the top, multi-purpose hall at the bottom.

Cross section through the halls. Multi-purpose hall to the left, concert hall to the right.

Long section through the multi-purpose hall and the foyer.

Long section through the concert hall.

Detail section through the balcony in the concert hall. The balcony structure is separated from the walls. The space can be “tuned” with moveable elements.



The site for the new concert hall is only a short walk away from the town centre, facing the bay. The natural terrain has allowed for a large outdoor amphitheatre, while the main direction of the new complex faces the sea, with reference to the traditional dockside warehouse typology.

The programme for the 2003 design competition asked for two halls of approximately the same volume: one designed for natural acoustics, to house Stavanger Symphony Orchestra, and one multi-purpose hall. This project locates the halls in two separate volumes: The acoustic hall as a fragile instrument protected by a concrete box, and the other as a robust box within a glass prism. The latter box also contains rehearsal rooms, administration and service functions, while the glass prism allows the public area an open view of the surrounding town and landscape.

The main concert hall has 1500 seats and is designed according to the acoustic “shoebox principle”. Moveable ceiling elements makes it possible to “tune” the hall for different purposes. The multipurpose hall can be varied from a proscenium arrangement to a flat floor, to accommodate everything from dance performances to rock concerts.

The expression of the building comes from the colours of the materials themselves: light granite floors, perforated metal ceilings, lacquered sheet steel and red concrete. The concert hall is clad internally with oiled maple panelling, with oiled ash floors. The multipurpose hall has a floor of dark oak. The plaza and amphitheatre is made of in-situ concrete and granite paving, with occasional ornamentation in the form of colourful mosaics. Flat areas are planted with lawns and flowerbeds, steeper areas covered with climbers. Timber terraces descend to the water’s edge, and a cherry grove connects to the adjacent Bjergsted Park.