ECHO TRACK: A Concert hall for Sarajevo
Two stage international competition for a concert hall in Sarajevo 1999
The Brief of the Competition: A concert hall building of 8000 sq. m with 2 auditoria and underground car park.
Neither geography nor building can define the ground tapestry anymore. Not on lands, cities or even smaller territories within them. Spatial territories are continuously re-claimed and occupied by somebody other than their owner: immigrants, tourists, invaders, squatters, contemporary city nomads.
As initial response to this condition the ground level is left open and free for interaction. The landscape acts completely as a public open air park, a field where traces of a hidden existence extrude discreetly on the green tapestry, which merges into the extends of the surrounding urban wood. This new topography blends in with the river, in the south. The new Concert Hall, can be divided into two main functional entities. One is a structure above ground, and the other is an enclosure below ground. The ground level is an open-air public park. The whole building block further than the extends of the site becomes a green island.
An act of reversal of programme takes place in the new Concert Hall building which we called ECHO TRACK
The music performed inside the new Concert Hall is deposited and securely preserved in a sheltered condition under the ground. Its ‘reverberation’ is expressed as echo, constructing a track for cars above the protected shelter. This track accommodates a drive through – parking space, which progressively elevates in levels to provide a visual panoramic viewing of the city. The city in turn, perceives this echo track, as an object ‘reminder’; an object with a ‘disguised’ identity. The parking volume dressed in a metal mesh appears translucent. The foye, the most public space, a space of gathering and social interaction, is the only space which is visually accessible from ground level.
The tapestry above the concert hall is laid with green grass, except the area of the foye where light can filter under ground through the glass rooftop. Secondary lift shafts and staircases articulate the ground level, where the shape of the Main Hall is inscribed with a glass skylight track discreetly outlining its perimeter. A restaurant volume extrudes on this level to accommodate an optional stop. By this emphasis on circulation, tracks for people and cars, the building establishes a public connection to the city.
The two Halls can be considered as two autonomous buildings, attached to each other by the large open connecting space of the foye, and supported by a network of ‘hidden’ facilities behind their stage areas, which is never visible from the foye.
A perimeter spectating balcony frames the central foye space in 3 storeys, which turns into a spectacle arena for events.
ECHO TRACK: A Concert hall for Sarajevo
Two stage international competition for a concert hall in Sarajevo 1999 – Location: Sarajevo, Bosnia Herjegovina
In collaboration with architects: Andreas Angelidakis, Petunia Exakoustou
Consultants: Nikos Vittis (Traffic Engineer), Theodore Timagenis (Acoustics Engineer)
Award: First stage commendation
Featured:”Ta Nea”, daily greek newspaper “Architectural Mentions”, P. Katimertzi, 28/06/99.”To Vima”, daily greek newspaper, ‘Proposal by Greek Architects for the Serajevo Concert Hall’, 25/06/99.”Technical Chamber Weekly Review”, ‘Greek Distinction in International architectural competition’, 12/07/99.”Katoikia”, No. 88, 06-07/2001, ‘The 3rd Biennale of Young Greek Architects, The Serajevo Concert Hall’.