Perth Concert Hall (Western Australia) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Perth Concert Hall |
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| General information | |
| Type | Concert hall |
| Architectural style | Brutalist |
| Town or city | Perth, Western Australia |
| Country | Australia |
| Coordinates | Lua error in Module:Coordinates at line 614: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). |
| Current tenants | West Australian Symphony Orchestra Various other events and performances |
| Construction started | 1971 |
| Opened | 26 January 1973 |
| Cost | A$3,201,873 (1973), equivalent to ~A$29 million in 2016 |
| Owner | City of Perth |
| Design and construction | |
| Architecture firm | Howlett and Bailey Architects |
| Other information | |
| Seating capacity | 1,729 people (main auditorium) |
| Type | State Registered Place |
| Designated | 12 July 2002 |
| Reference no. | 4571 |
The Perth Concert Hall is a special building in Perth, Western Australia. It's a place where people go to enjoy music and shows. The City of Perth owns it. This hall is the main home for the West Australian Symphony Orchestra. Many other events and performances also happen here.
The building is in Perth's main city area. It is next to the Supreme Court Gardens and Government House. The hall has two main sides. One faces St Georges Terrace and the other faces the Swan River.
The Perth Concert Hall opened on Australia Day, January 26, 1973. It was built on land given to the City of Perth by the government. The building was designed by Howlett and Bailey Architects. It is built in a style called Brutalist architecture. This style uses a lot of white concrete and has a strong, solid look. The main room, called the auditorium, can fit 1,729 people. It also has space for a 160-person choir and a huge 3000-pipe organ. Many people think the hall has some of the best sound quality in Australia. A New Zealand expert, Sir Harold Marshall, helped make sure the sound was perfect.
Contents
History of the Concert Hall
In 1950, the government gave land to the City of Perth. This land was between Stirling Gardens and Government House. The architects Howlett & Bailey planned to build two buildings there. One was for offices and the other was an auditorium.
However, because of money problems, only the office building was built. This building, called Council House, opened in 1963. Later, in 1968, Howlett & Bailey were chosen again to design the concert hall. Construction started in 1971.
The Perth Concert Hall officially opened on January 26, 1973. The Governor General Paul Hasluck opened it. The Prime Minister Gough Whitlam was also there.
In January 2015, the West Australian Symphony Orchestra started managing the hall. They took over from another company that had managed it since 1999. In April 2018, the City of Perth approved a $1.4 million upgrade for the hall.
A much bigger upgrade was announced in 2020. This project was worth $52 million. The government of Western Australia, the federal government, and the City of Perth all helped pay for it. In March 2022, two architecture firms were chosen to lead the redesign. In March 2023, even more money was added to the project, bringing the total to $150 million.
Architectural Design and Features
The Howlett and Bailey Architects firm designed the Perth Concert Hall. Jeffrey Howlett and Don Bailey had won a design competition in 1961. Their first plan was for two buildings. One was for offices, and the other was an oval-shaped auditorium.
The office building, Council House, was built first. But the auditorium was delayed. There were money issues and concerns about how the sound would be inside. The design was changed several times. A new plan was finally approved in the late 1960s.
The new plan aimed for a hall that could hold almost 2,000 people. It needed to cost no more than $2 million. The most important goal was for it to be great for music. This included symphony concerts, choir performances, and organ recitals. It also needed to be good for ballet, plays, and other events. Things like civic receptions, conferences, and school events were also considered.
Design Changes and Features
Throughout 1969, the plans were changed many times. They added beautiful landscaping for the entrance from St Georges Terrace. They also built an underground walkway. A special pit for a 60-piece orchestra was included. This pit could be covered with flooring and seats when not in use. Better access and facilities for people with disabilities were also added.
The first plans included a large restaurant. But after looking at other halls, they decided a smaller restaurant was better. They also added a tavern and a cocktail bar. This gave visitors more choices. The bar area was named The Wardle Room.
The architects wanted the hall's lobby areas to be like changing art galleries. They imagined showing different types of art there. This included paintings, tapestries, and sculptures. They did not want permanent art displays.
Acoustics and Sound Design
Many experts helped design the building. These included sound experts, structural engineers, and lighting specialists. D. H. Fraser worked on the building's structure. Professor A. Harold Marshall was the sound consultant. He worked with the architects to design the main auditorium.
Dr. Marshall used computer models to predict how well people would hear. He wanted the hall to be a "Great Room." He compared it to famous halls like the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam. These halls are known for their amazing sound quality. The Perth Concert Hall was designed to have similar excellent sound.
The Perth Concert Hall is an example of brutalist architecture. It has a strong, solid look. It uses a lot of white concrete. This style makes it look different from the more open Council House.
The auditorium has a special 3000-pipe organ. It is surrounded by a 160-person choir area. The audience can sit 1,729 people. The organ cost $100,000 and was custom-made. Its larger pipes came from the Netherlands. A large Steinway concert grand piano was also brought from West Germany.
The Concert Hall was the first in Australia to have a special screen system. Latecomers could watch the show in the lobby. This allowed them to wait for a good time to enter.
What Happens at the Hall
The Perth Concert Hall is known for having excellent sound for music. Many famous performers have played here. These include orchestras like the London Philharmonic. Modern artists like B.B. King, Sting, and Ray Charles have also performed. Comedians like Rowan Atkinson and Billy Connolly have appeared too.
Most concerts by the West Australian Symphony Orchestra happen at the Perth Concert Hall. They also use the venue for their practice sessions.
The hall is also used for other big events. These include national meetings, exhibitions, and award shows. It also hosts fancy dinners. The lobby areas, bar, and café can be rented for private parties or business events.
Twinning with Perth Concert Hall, Scotland
On September 27, 2006, the Perth Concert Hall had a special ceremony. It officially "twinned" with the Perth Concert Hall, Scotland. This means they are like sister venues. Because of this, the Concert Hall in Perth, Australia, now flies the St Andrews Flag. This flag is a symbol of Scotland.
Gallery
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View of the auditorium from the stage.
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Spiral stairs and lift shaft.
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Interior detail of the Perth Concert Hall.
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Another interior detail of the Perth Concert Hall.
