Deeper Case Study

Walt Disney Concert Hall

Context:
The Walt Disney Concert Hal is on Bunker Hill along side the Music Centre of Los Angeles an appropriate location as it is a centre for musical culture in the downtown Los Angeles area.

Design brief:
The project was originally instituted as a competition by The Disney family and included many strict considerations that had to be met including a relationship to the existing Chandler Pavilion, a large backstage area and orchestra pit and most importantly it must be designed to its current position and have a large grand front door to Grand Avenue. There was however a wide variety of changes between the original competition brief and the selected design in the in 1997 and then again by the time construction finished in 1999. These included the size and shape of the foyer and exterior of the hall and the rethink and eventual elimination of the 350-room hotel that was meant to accompany the hall.

Design & construction:
In order to accommodate other aspects of design the Concert hall was placed in the middle of the land so that the rest of the land was developed into gardens that could be accessed both from within the hall but also from any angle of the city block it was on. This added to the idea of a unique image the hall had of being a bright and refreshing aspect of an otherwise dark and standard Los Angeles area. The hall was also oriented within the middle of the block so the grand main entrance was facing towards the existing music centre relating the two, it also placed the secondary entrance is place facing the other corner of Grand, which provides great access and view of the main gardens

Exterior Design
The exterior of the concert hall is a very interesting concept to try and interpret from any one mans point of view, an individual must really circle the hall a number of times and get in all the possible perspectives from them to start to build together what that hall really looks like. The stainless steel panels wrap the outside of the hall producing a flower like cover to the building; this presents a sculpture like perspective of the hall. Combined with the gardens it is a tranquil walk around the structure.

Interior Design
Ne of the main concepts that drives the more relaxed and peaceful design of the Hal is the larger backstage area for performers and stagehands. These large area and other concepts in the design like the backstage entrance opening to a semi-public garden and the rehearsal rooms placed near smaller public entrances bring the artists closer to the audience and encourages interaction where in other halls there wouldn’t be any.
As well as this a number of public main entrances require audience members to walk through open foyers which has been on occasion a great advantage allowing the Hall to put on displays and art installation related to the performance or entirely separate which adds another element of how this building brings all the arts performance and installation to Los Angeles

References:
1. Frank O. Gehry: Individual imagination and cultural conservatism, Charles Jencks
Academy Group Ltd, London 1995
2. Symphony: Frank Gehry's Walt Disney Concert Hall
F.Gehry October 2003 Abrams,Harry N Inc
3. Architecture and Process: Gehry Talks, Mildred Friedman
Rizzoli International Publications, Inc., NY 1999