OPEN Architecture is an architectural firm which has designed a concert hall in rural area of Beijing, near a section of the Ming Dynasty’s Great Wall of China. The project named Chapel of Sound is designed to represent a rocky outcrop.
The Chapel of sound project is a part of scheme to revitalize this backward area and is being constructed by engineering firm ARUP.
To get a natural look of structure, local crushed rocks are use as aggregate in concrete work. The building keeps 790 sq m (roughly 8,500 sq ft) and will comprise a platforms for viewers an outdoor stage, semi-outdoor amphitheater and some additional support spaces. The poring of concrete work for the roof was completed in batches and finished carefully by hand tools which continued 24 hours in shifts throughout the day and night.
“The structure is composed of two interconnected concrete shells,” says OPEN Architecture regarding its design. “
The outer shell has an inverted iconic shape and rests at ground taking minimum land area. With hard surfaces to resist the sound rests and providing openings for sound absorption, the inner shell is basically shaped by sound experts.
“These carefully planned openings to the sky and the surrounding valley also bring in stunning views and muted sounds of nature, as well as dancing sunlight at different times of the day – all orchestrating an ever-changing symphony of nature inside the concert hall. When there is no performance, one can sit there to quietly observe birds singing and insects chirping, gentle breezes rustling through, or rain falling onto the hard floor and quickly draining away.”
The construction work of the building stopped due to the coming of winter in the northern hemisphere and will begin again in early 2020.Construction work is expected to be completed in mid-2020.