auditorium convention center kursaal rafael moneo

8/14/2019 Auditorium Convention Center Kursaal Rafael Moneo

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San Sebastian, Spain

Architect: Rafael Moneo

Structural Engineering: Corres & AssociatesJavier Manterola

Joy Watters

Auditorium Convention Center Kursaal


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Kursaal Auditorium and Music Centre

Moneo wanted to maintain thegeographic features of the site in theproject and not follow the grid of thecity. The Kursaal Auditorium and

Music Centre is on a site in SanSebastian effected by hills, mountains,beaches, and capes. Moneo designedthe auditorium and chamber hall as tworocks on the shore of the Urmea Riverand the Bay of Biscay. The chamberhall rock faces Mount Ulia and the

auditorium rock addresses MountUrgull. The two rocks emerge from aplatform which holds all the otherelements of the program.


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Exterior

The exterior walls are curtain walls

made from curved laminated glass

with an aluminum structure. This

wall structure provides for changesin the appearance of the volumes.

At night they become light boxes.


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Interior

The double voussoir walls have flat

glass on the interior. Coupled with

the curved glass on the exterior, the

walls become supreme soundinsulators.


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Preliminary Plans and Sections


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Plans

Ground Plan Subfloor 1

Subfloor 2- parking


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Qualities: Loudness & Direct Sound

Direct sound and early reflections

Good sight lines, limited

distance to source = adopts a

mix between semi-circledesign and shoebox for

maximum proximity to

source.

Raised source and listeners for

improved sight and soundlines (no balcony, only 624

seats).


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Qualities: Loudness & Direct Sound

Strong sound reflections and

massive materials.

Materials used:

Woodwork used as floor,

wall, and ceiling pieces.


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Qualities: Clarity

Surface near source, overhead,

and massive materials.

The chamber hall has a 1292

ft2 stage with an acousticroof which can be dismantled

to provide early reflections

from the source.


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Qualities: Reverberance

Hard surfaces, diffuse sound with

articulation and chambers

coupled to room.

Wood panels of interior givesarticulation.

Articulation of wood panels

are coupled with lighting.


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Qualities: Reverberation Time


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Qualities: Envelopment

Lateral reflections and hard

surfaces

Wall materials of hard wood

panels reflect all ranges offrequencies.

Closeness of side walls to

move sound around to

listeners.


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Qualities: Spaciousness

Strong lateral reverberance

Close, parallel walls to move

the sound.

Articulation to diffuse thesound.

Large room volume for

directional components to the

reverberation.


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Qualities: Intimacy

Proximity of source

Because it is a smaller

chamber hall, listeners are

close to the source and roomsurfaces.

The orchestra is in the same

room as the listeners.

Direct Sound- 55ms

Reflected Sound- 80msTime Delay Gap- 25ms


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Qualities: Warmth & Brilliance

Rich and full sound

Massive materials of wood

paneling for low frequencies.

Scale articulation for highfrequencies.


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Qualities: Ensemble

The blending of sounds

Ceiling and side wall

reflections are provided by

close proximity of surfaces tolisteners.

Surfaces near the musicians

provide early reflections and

early loudness levels.


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Qualities: Localization of Sound

Distinguish location of the

sounds

Raised source and listeners

provide clear sight and soundlines.

Listeners are in close

proximity to the source for

optimal direct sound.

150 feet


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Bibliography

1.The Kursaal website, The Project-www.kursaal.org/eng/edificio/proyecto.htm

2.The archINFORM website, Kursaal Auditorium and Music Centre-

www.archinform.net

3.The Kursaal website, The Material-

www.kursaal.org/eng/edificio/materiales.htm

4.The Kursaal website, Congress and Chamber Hall-

www.kursaal.org/eng/edificio/camara.htm

5.Zabalbeascoa, Anatxu. The New Spanish Architecture. New York: Rizzoli.

1992. Pg 172-177.

6.El Croquis, Rafael Moneo, volume 98, 1999.

auditorium convention center kursaal rafael moneo

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