Turku Music Hall Fuuga is a versatile cultural venue being created along the Aura River in the city of Turku, Finland.
The new music hall will replace the existing concert hall, which was built in 1952 and has reached the end of its lifespan.
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In May 2019, the Turku City Council opted to construct the new concert hall after assessing options for the renovation or expansion of the existing building in 2018. It finally approved the construction of the €89m ($92.1m) project in November 2022.
Construction work is expected to start in 2023, with the aim of opening the new music hall in 2026.
When complete, Turku Music Hall Fuuga will be home to the Turku Philharmonic Orchestra, the oldest orchestra in Finland. It will also attract more international performers and visitors to Turku.
Location and site details for Turku Music Hall Fuuga
The new building will be located on the banks of the Aura River at Independence Square in Turku, Finland’s oldest city and the former capital.
Situated in central Turku, the new cultural venue will be integrated with the existing sites of cultural and historical relevance on the riverbank, including the City Theatre and the Waino Aaltonen Museum of Art.
Turku Music Hall Fuuga design details
The building will be shaped like a right-angled trapezoid with rounded corners. It will feature soft, curving forms to imitate the flow of the river. The main concert hall will be situated diagonally inside the building to provide the main entrance at the corner of the site, with openings both towards the City Theatre and the riverfront.
The building’s copper-clad timber and glass facade will feature vertical openings to allow scenic views of the river from within and make the structure open and appealing from the outside.
The main concert hall inside the building will be shaped like a modified shoebox. It will feature curved balconies wrapping around the stalls and the stage to create an immersive space. The hall’s acoustic design is derived from that of the shoebox concert halls of the 19th century, which are known for providing exceptional lateral reflections and splendid reverberations.
Light coming from the windows above is expected to give a special character and tone to the hall. The curved shapes and wooden surfaces are further expected to add to the rhythm and warmth of the venue.
Facilities at Turku Music Hall Fuuga
Turku Music Hall Fuuga will occupy a 13,600m² (146,389ft²) area. The building will house the main concert hall with a seating capacity of 1,300, as well as a 300-seat multifunctional hall for performances, events and rehearsals.
The primary function of the main concert hall will be to host orchestra music. It can also be used to conduct events such as electrically amplified music performances, meetings and small functions. The concert hall will feature warm surfaces and clerestory windows to introduce natural light as needed. The stage will be able to accommodate 100 performers.
Turku Music Hall Fuuga will also include training facilities, lobbies, foyers, ticket sales counters, staff and storage facilities, and cafes and restaurants both on the roof terrace and outside of event spaces.
Contractors involved
Harmonia, a consortium consisting of PES-Arkitehdit, WSP Finland and Hartela Länsi-Suomi, won the tender to design and construct the Turku Music Hall Fuuga in October 2021.
Helsinki-based architecture practice PES-Arkitehdit is the architect for the project.
WSP Finland, the Finnish subsidiary of Canadian engineering consultancy WSP, is responsible for project management, landscape architecture, green planning and traffic planning services for the project.
Finnish construction company Hartela Länsi-Suomi will be responsible for the construction of Turku Music Hall Fuuga.
Laidun-design, a Finnish architecture practice, has been engaged as the subcontractor for the project.
Structural design services for the project were provided by A-Insinöörit, an engineering and consulting company based in Finland.
Akukon and Kahle Acoustics, two acoustic consultants from Finland and Belgium, collaborated to provide the complete acoustic design for the concert hall and ancillary spaces.
Rejlers, a Swedish engineering company, was selected to provide heating, ventilation and air conditioning and electrical design services for the project. Granlund, a Finnish company, was engaged to provide building automation and sprinkler solutions for the project.
Local companies Maanpää GEO and Markku Kauriala were engaged for geo-planning and fire planning services, respectively.
Other contractors involved with the project include Sweco and Green Building Partners.
