Philharmonic in Szczecin

The idea to build a new hall for the Philharmonic in the place where the old Concert Hall (Konzerthaus) used to be located came about in 2004. The musicians needed larger and more modern space as the institution had grown out of the then occupied wing of the City Hall. The citizens of Szczecin saw the placing of the new concert hall at the intersection of Małopolska and Matejki streets as having symbolic importance to the musical history of the town. Three years later a contest to present the idea of a new Philharmonic was opened. From among the offers of forty four studios from all around the world, the jury chose the project designed by Barozzi/Veiga studio from Barcelona.

The ice-like shape of the building was hailed the new icon of the city already in the first stage of the works, and the Internet portal bryla.pl recognised it as one of the most interesting investments in the country. The project also won the first prize in the prestigious Eurobuild Awards 2014 contest as Architectural Design of the Year. The architects did their best to take into consideration the context of the project. The building stands out from its surroundings thanks to its bold lines and lightness but also forms a coherent whole with the neo-gothic buildings around.