Elbphilharmonie Hamburg to open on 11 January 2017
Elbphilharmonie Hamburg to open on 11 January 2017
Construction works on the Elbphilharmonie, Hamburg’s spectacular new concert hall, are proceeding swiftly. The public Plaza will be opened in November 2016, and the remaining cranes are in the process of being dismantled. The amazing architecture of this new concert hall is now fully visible for the first time.
The stakeholders of the Elbphilharmonie Hamburg project have now agreed on 11 January 2017 as the opening date for the Elbphilharmonie concert hall. On Monday, the Hamburg Senate announced that the Plaza will be open to the public from as early as November 2016. The 4,000 square metre Plaza, which towers at a height of 37 metres, offers a panoramic view of the city centre and the port of Hamburg.
Over the last year, the project site has been viewed by more than 30,000 people, which confirms the public’s strong interest in the Elbphilharmonie. Hamburg’s First Mayor, Olaf Scholz, commented: “By already opening the Plaza in November 2016, we would like to give as many Hamburg residents as possible the chance to get acquainted with Hamburg’s new landmark – prior to the official opening of the concert hall.”
Hamburg: a cultural hub with a unique highlight
Hamburg’s Minister of Culture, Barbara Kisseler, added: “As we continue to critically monitor construction works, we can finally focus on the opening of the Elbphilharmonie on 11 January 2017. Viewing the impressive Grand Hall alone confirms that Hamburg can look forward to this concert hall with its outstanding architecture. It is becoming increasingly evident that the Elbphilharmonie will contribute to further strengthening Hamburg’s relevance as an international cultural centre.”
The General Director of the Elbphilharmonie and the Laeiszhalle, Christoph Lieben-Seutter, commented: “Our planning for scheduled performances in the Elbphilharmonie has been in full swing for several months. With the opening date being laid down, we can now make binding agreements. We are truly delighted!”
Volume of the Grand Hall visible for the first time
Designed by Swiss architects Herzog & de Meuron, the Grand Hall constitutes the building’s centre piece. It provides seating for 2,100 people and has a volume of 23,000 cubic metres. This impressive volume became visible on Monday for the first time. The Grand Hall has been designed in a way that situates the orchestra and the conductor in the very centre. This centre is surrounded by steep terraced seating rows. Excellent acoustics can be guaranteed thanks to the hall’s special “white skin” surface, which comprises 10,000 gypsum fibre panels, as well as the 50-tonne reflector.
The next steps: cranes to be dismantled
The fascinating architecture of the Elbphilharmonie is gradually unfolding – also from the outside. Once the exterior scaffolding has been taken down, the building company Hochtief is planning to dismantle the remaining cranes. This will be done as soon as works on the roof have been completed in the spring of 2015. The next contractually agreed dates will be the completion of the technical area above the Grand Hall and the completion of the on-site hotel by 30 April 2015, and the completion of the “white skin” by 31 January 2016. Final acceptance of the building has been guaranteed to take place on 31 October 2016. For further information on the Elbphilharmonie, please visit www.elbphilharmonie.de/home.en.
Media contact
Hamburg Ministry of Culture
Hohe Bleichen 22
20354 Hamburg, Germany
Enno Isermann
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Mobile: +49 (0)151 61 30 06 49
enno.isermann(at)kb.hamburg.de
www.hamburg.de/kulturbehoerde
Hamburg Marketing GmbH
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Guido Neumann
Media Relations
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guido.neumann(at)marketing.hamburg.de