The Sydney Opera House is a world-renowned architectural masterpiece, but by 2012, it was facing a series of problems, including end-of-life theater machinery, poor acoustics, and accessibility issues. To address these issues, SOH CEO Louise Herron, announced a ‘Decade of Renewal’ leading up to the building’s 50th anniversary in 2023. ARM Architecture were appointed to the Concert Hall Renewal project, the last and largest of the renewal projects, commencing design work in 2015 with the Hall reopening in July 2022.
In 2015, ARM was given the enormous responsibility and privilege of upgrading the iconic Sydney Opera House’s Concert Hall. The project called for modifications that were sensitive and respectful of the World Heritage Listed building, whilst elevating the acoustics, accessibility and functionality to a world-class standard. According to the architects, the overarching aim was to upgrade the Concert Hall interior to match the brilliance of Jørn Utzon’s exterior and Peter Hall’s interior.
While the Sydney Opera House is World Heritage Listed and one of the world’s most famous buildings, its Concert Hall was widely regarded to be compromised, technically and acoustically. Designed 60+ years ago, the hall was fitted with ageing theater technology and presented difficulties for contemporary stage crews. Several front-of-house areas also had very poor accessibility, with some levels impossible for mobility restricted patrons. As such, the brief for the project was three-fold, to fix the Concert Hall’s poor acoustics, to improve the functionality of the room and to improve accessibility both front of house and back of house.
“The initial approach to the project was to immerse ourselves in a study of both Jørn Utzon’s original design for the iconic building and Peter Hall’s subsequent completion of it. On hand we had the Utzon Design Principles and an array of books on the history of the design. Perhaps most valuable to us was a pre-publication version of Dr Anne Watson’s The Poisoned Chalice: Peter Hall and the Sydney Opera House, which details Peter Hall’s work and pays long overdue recognition. Our work was directly interacting with Hall’s interiors,” stated ARM Architecture.
To solve the notoriously inconsistent room acoustic, new architectural interventions were introduced into the Peter Hall designed space. The original clear ‘donut’ overstage reflectors were replaced with 18 new petal-shaped reflectors, finished in a magenta color that references the original seat fabric. These new reflectors provide direct and early reflections to the musicians on stage and the choir, while also pushing the acoustic energy out into the auditorium.
Sculpted timber panels were also introduced around the stage, stall surrounds and rear walls replacing the original timber paneling. These new panels diffuse the sound and prevent direct reflections, resulting in a sense of envelopment in the music. Made in the same brushbox timber as the original walls these add a subtle tactile element to the Hall, inviting the hand to run along them. The stage was also lowered by 400mm and completely rebuilt, including the introduction of automated stage risers. This not only improves the functionality of the room, but also sightlines and the acoustic connection between different orchestral sections.
To cater to amplified and contemporary music performances, a series of automated drapes were introduced that deploy from the crown over the stage, the upper side walls of the ceiling, and the box fronts adjacent to the stalls. These transform the Hall’s acoustics and aesthetic for these shows, doing away with the previous ad-hoc manual deployment of black cloth by SOH staff. The largest automation upgrade was the introduction of a new theater machinery and flying system overstage. This involved significant strengthening of the ceiling structure to allow for increased flying capacity and flexibility in load locations. This new technical overlay not only improves the changeover time between show types (a musthave outcome of the project), but also reduces many manual handling tasks.
Outside the Hall a new passageway through the side foyer stair and new lift in the northern foyer have been inserted into these hybrid Jørn Utzon & Hall designed spaces. These have transformed the visitor experience by finally allowing equitable access to all foyer and Hall levels, where previously, visitors had to climb 50 risers in two flights of stairs. Accessible dressing rooms for performers and improved access to the stage were other key upgrades. This also provides equality in access to one of the most picturesque spots in the SOH with fantastic views over the harbor. The overall result is a renewed Concert Hall for future generations that is functional, accessible, and acoustically on par with the great Halls of the world.
Overall, ARM have developed a design that both respects the heritage of the Concert Hall and allows performers and patrons to experience the venue in new ways. The well-considered interventions to the building fabric now provide equitable paths of travel to all levels. Inside the auditorium the ripples of beautiful brushbox diffusion, support Peter Hall’s vision and provide acoustic clarity and power that has moved some performers close to tears. These benefits, coupled with upgrades to theater systems and back of house spaces, have renewed the Concert Hall and provides a platform for performances that will define Australia’s cultural landscape for generations.
