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Opened in 1962, David Geffen Hall in New York City has entertained audiences with acts from the likes of acclaimed artists Miles Davis, Queen, and Simon & Garfunkel. Efforts to revitalize the home of the New York Philharmonic have been on the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts' radar for years. Now, following an extensive design competition, two award-winning architecture firms have been announced as the victors.
London-based Heatherwick Studio and Toronto-based Diamond Schmitt Architects are being charged with the difficult task of reinvigorating the 2,738-seat auditorium, updating its acoustics, and providing a renewed space for 'Legends at Lincoln Center: the Performing Arts Hall of Fame,' which will showcase the films and performing arts events for which the complex has become known. Fans of the concrete International Style exterior will be relieved to hear that officials from the Lincoln Center have no plans to alter the facade.
Over 100 architecture firms were evaluated during the selection process by a jury of representatives from both the Lincoln Center and the New York Philharmonic. Acoustic design firm Akustiks and theatre design firm Fisher Dachs will also be actively involved in the reimagining of the iconic concert hall. “We believe this pairing of Heatherwick and Diamond Schmitt offers the most compelling potential for the New York Philharmonic’s new home that will reflect the excellence and artistry of this Orchestra, as well as further enhance and support the Philharmonic’s evolution as a 21st-century institution,” said Oscar S. Schafer, chairman of the New York Philharmonic.
Both architecture firms expressed excitement at being selected. Heatherwick Studio has firm footing in major cities around the world, including Shanghai, where they are collaborating with Foster + Partners on The Bund Finance Center. Coincidentally, Foster + Partners had envisioned a redesign for the hall in the past, but the proposal never saw the light of day. Heatherwick's creative sculptures and installations like the 2012 London Olympic Cauldron have earned them a reputation for being fantastical, revolutionary, and sometimes controversial. “The New York Philharmonic creates some of the most incredible music in the world, so it deserves a world-class concert hall," said Thomas Heatherwick, founder and principal of Heatherwick Studio. "Together with Diamond Schmitt Architects, we are excited to make this special institution and its classical music even more connected to New Yorkers and the audiences of the future.”
Diamond Schmitt Architects is no stranger to designing concert venues, with over a dozen such projects in their portfolio, including St. Petersburg's New Mariinsky Theatre and Toronto's Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts. “We are thrilled to win this opportunity along with our collaborator, Heatherwick Studio, to reimagine the space for music performance for the 21st-century,” said Donald Schmitt, principal of Diamond Schmitt Architects. “We will design the new Geffen Hall to become a crossroads of performance, rehearsal, learning and arts innovation, creating a welcoming atmosphere for the public.”
On the partnership between the two firms, Katherine Farley, chairman of Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, said: "The inspiring combination of Heatherwick and Diamond Schmitt will bring contemporary design excellence, respect for the historic architecture of the hall, and extensive experience creating acoustically superb performance halls."
Max Abramovitz designed the venue which was originally known simply as Philharmonic Hall. It was then renamed Avery Fisher Hall, and finally David Geffen Hall in 2015 following a $100 million donation towards the reinvigoration project. The $500 million development is expected to begin construction in 2019.
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