Fluid Fields

Concertgebouw Brugge | Bruges, Belgium

In preparation for Brugge 2002: European Capital of Culture, the City of Bruges and the Province of West Flanders sponsored an open international  design competition in 1999 for this 14,000 m2 concert hall.

Our solution respects the link between Bruges and Albert Park. It draws on the textures created by buildings and arterials on either side of it, constructing a new terrain in the site.  This field of forces becomes our operative site.  Building and site overlap and merge, allowing the park to continue up, into, and through the building.

From the Concertgebouw Brugge website:

The Concertgebouw is an international music and performing arts center, devoted to the development and presentation of art at an international level.  It focuses on music, music theatre and contemporary dance, artistic disciplines that can benefit to the full from its first-class infrastructure.  Visual art and multimedia art are featured as parallel and intermediate art forms.  Programming is directly creative.  The artistic innovation (Concept) and exploration (Context) that characterize the Concertgebouw enable it to play a leading role as a dynamic art house and centre of expertise, aimed at a wide and diverse audience, both in Flanders and beyond.

In addition to its own artistic program, the Concertgebouw makes its accommodation available to others for events of all types.  This includes the Concert Hall (1289 seats), the Chamber Music Hall (maximum 320 seats), and the various reception rooms with their panoramic view of the historical city centre.  In fact the whole building can be used for congresses, colloquia, product launches, receptions, stage presentations and much more.

For more information, go to: www.concertgebouw.be

Project Team

• Owner: Concertgebouw Brugge │ Flemish Community, City of Bruges, + Province of West Flanders │ www.concertgebouw.be
• Design Team: Jose Atienza + Bradley Walters
• Critic + Advisor: Peter Eisenman