Elisabeth Hall Antwerp brings a new world-class concert hall and conference space to life within the shell of an existing historically significant building. This new concert venue seats 1,900 in a flexible music, theatre and lecture space serving the KMDA (the Royal Zoological Society of Antwerp) and Antwerp Symphony Orchestra. In addition to the concert hall at the heart of the building, the project included the design of large ensemble and individual rehearsal spaces, backstage support spaces and several large gathering spaces for lectures or parties. BREEAM Certification is in progress.
The previously existing Queen Elisabeth Hall was designed in the 1950’s and suffered from very poor acoustics. The hall lay at the center of the building surrounded by historically significant spaces to be preserved. Consequently, the goal for the new hall was to provide world-class acoustics in an attractive envelope that blended harmoniously with the existing building. Kirkegaard worked with Simpson-Haugh to develop a new hall with a similar footprint but greatly improved interior acoustic design to meet the project’s stringent performance goals.
Kirkegaard provided room acoustics, sound isolation and noise and vibration control throughout the Elisabeth Hall building. The architectural vision for the concert hall called for the interior surfaces to be comprised almost entirely of wood paneling. Kirkegaard developed original designs for the large variety of custom fabricated panels to create a rich and balanced acoustic environment for listeners and performers throughout the hall.
