Musikkens Hus
| Musikkens Hus | |
|---|---|
 | |
| General information | |
| Status | Finished, waiting for opening |
| Type | Concert hall |
| Architectural style | Deconstructivism |
| Location | 1 Musikkens Plads, Aalborg |
| Country | Denmark |
| Coordinates | 57°2′52.1″N 9°55′59″E / 57.047806°N 9.93306°ECoordinates: 57°2′52.1″N 9°55′59″E / 57.047806°N 9.93306°E |
| Current tenants |
|
| Construction started | 31 May 2010 |
| Completed | Education: 2013; Concerts: 2014 |
| Opening | 29 March 2014 |
| Cost | 744 million DKK |
| Client | Foundation for Musikkens Hus in Northern Jutland |
| Owner | Foundation for Musikkens Hus in Northern Jutland |
| Height | 30 metres (98 ft) |
| Technical details | |
| Structural system | Concrete frame |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Coop Himmelb(l)au |
| Other information | |
| Seating capacity |
|
| Website | |
| www.en.musikkenshus.dk | |
Musikkens Hus (or House of Music in English) is a concert hall in Aalborg, Denmark. The concert hall is located by the Limfjord at Musikkens Plads in culture center of Aalborg next to other projects as Nordkraft and Østre Havn. The building contains four halls including the main hall, which seats 1,298 people. Musikkens Hus is the project by Coop Himmelb(l)au in Scandinavia and is the only concert hall north from Vienna in its class. The building is home to among others Aalborg Symphony Orchestra.
The history
The history of Musikkens Hus started in 1986, when the association Musikhusets Venner was established. The association wanted a concert hall in Aalborg just like in Aarhus and Odense. The purpose of the association is to “promote the establishment of a house in Aalborg that has its focal point in the needs of the local music life”, says the articles of association.
“A house of music would provide exposure and attraction. We wanted to do more in the cultural field for the people who already lived in North Denmark, for those who had just arrived and for those we knew were on their way”.
Research and education
In 1999, the dream of a house of music comes to a stalemate. But when the Vice-Chancellor of Aalborg University, Sven Caspersen, and Vice-Rector of the Royal Academy of Music North Denmark, Peter Wang, during a tennis match come up with the idea of establishing a research and educational unit in Musikkens Hus, new life is breathed into the project.
They present the idea to Mayor Henning G. Jensen, County Mayor Orla Hav and CEO at Aalborg Congress and Culture Centre Ernst Trillingsgaard, who in 2000 give the political go-ahead on building a house of music with an educational unit on the waterfront of Aalborg.
The idea also catches on in the local business community where especially Spar Nord Fonden and the Obel Family Foundation announce their support. The CEOs of the two foundations, Ole Jørgensen and Ole Sørensen, together with N.K. Strøyberg establish the Committee for the Construction of Musikkens Hus in North Denmark.
From 2001 to 2006, Musikhusets Venner and the Committee for the Construction of Musikkens Hus in North Denmark raise private funds of a total of DKK 57 million – the amount which City of Aalborg and then County of North Denmark had stipulated in order to support the project. At the same time, a collaboration with Realdania, which will prove pivotal at a later point, is established, and in the spring of 2001, Realdania donates DKK 5 million to the project.
Architects found
In May 2002, Musikkens Hus invites 12 pre-selected consultancy groups to a project competition, and in November of the same year, three architect groups are shortlisted for the finals. Coop Himmelb(l)au is announced winner with their project, dubbed “The Golden Shrimp”.
“The Golden Shrimp” runs into trouble. In 2006, as the construction is announced for competitive bidding, it turns out that Musikkens Hus cannot be completed within the scheduled financial framework. Consequently, the developers at the time, the Foundation Musikkens Hus in North Denmark and the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Higher Education decide to put the project on standby.
However, the dream of a world-class house of music lives on in the many passionate people who are involved in the project. Shortly before Christmas 2006, the project re-emerges.
The miracle came from Realdania, and 20 December 2006 is the date that will be written into the history of Musikkens Hus as the “Big Rescue Day” – the day when Realdania offers to supply the financial resources necessary and to take main responsibility for realising the construction of Musikkens Hus in Aalborg.[1]
Tenants
The foundation is today the owner of Musikkens Hus and is therefore renting the facilities out to these:
- Aalborg Symphony Orchestra has its administration, practice rooms, and concerts in the halls.
- Aalborg University has its music education and research, and their department Danish JazzCenter is also located, in Musikkens Hus.
- Orkester Norden has its administration, practice rooms, and concerts in the halls.
- Royal Academy of Music has its education department and concert facilities in the building.
Facilities
Musikkens Hus contains four halls and a number of practice rooms etc.:
- The Concert Hall (or the Main Hall) seats 1,298 people
- The Minor Hall seats 300 people
- The Rhythmic Hall seats 200 people
- The Classical Hall seats 200 people
- The Foyer handles 2,150 people for receptions etc.
- Musikkens Spisehus is the restaurant of Musikkens Hus and is located out to the Limfjord in two floors[2]
See also
- List of concert halls in Denmark