Site and Sound: The Architecture and Acoustics of New Opera Houses and Concert Halls

by Victoria Newhouse

Victoria Newhouse, noted author and architectural historian, addresses the aesthetics and acoustics in concert halls and opera houses of the past, present, and future in this stunning companion to the highly regarded Towards a New Museum. Site and Sound explores the daunting, perennial Does the music serve the space, or the other way around? Heavily illustrated throughout - with historic images, spectacular color photographs, detailed drawings - this volume is an informed and enjoyable presentation of a building type that is at the heart of cities small and large. Newhouse starts with a survey of venues from ancient Greek and Roman times and progresses to contemporary works around the world. She singles out Lincoln Center in particular for its long history and its transitions and remodelings over the years. Two major chapters cover the one focuses on recent work in the West, including the National Opera House of Norway in Oslo by Snøhetta (2008), the Casa da Música in Porto, Portugal, by Rem Koolhaas (2005), and many more; the second examines the boom in concert halls in China. A final chapter looks at projects that are currently planned and the future of an architecture for music.

Genres: Architecture, Music

256 pages, Hardcover

First published February 7, 2012

Reviews

[Nix · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a well-written and very interesting book; if you have any interest in symphony, opera, acoustics, or architecture, this book will surely please you!

It is one of the few books where I've been able to read every word of the book throughout due to me being in college at the moment and it taking most of my focus from other things. All of the book is interesting and covers great halls with a relevant amount of information on each of them; as I said, it is well-written.

I have always had a hobbyist-interest in acoustics; after reading this book, and afterwards sitting in a college course over the subject, I am seriously inspired to look at acoustics as a career.

Thank you, Ms. Victoria Newhouse!

Update: 10 years later, I'm working as a consultant in architectural acoustics.