Is this Herzog and de Meuron's next masterpiece? Take a flying tour over their Hamburg Elbe Philharmonic building
by Kim Megson | 22 Jul 2016
Dramatic new drone footage has been released to showcase the architectural features of Herzog and de Meuron’s hotly-awaited Elbe Philharmonic building in Hamburg, Germany.
The shimmering complex will house three concert halls, a Starwood Westin hotel and spa, 45 private apartments and an indoor public plaza when it officially opens on 11 January 2017. To whet appetites for the curtain-raising, a new website has been set up taking viewers on a stomach-churning drone’s-eye view journey up, around and over the building.
Using footage recorded by the two racing drones called Rock and Roll, the interactive feature allows you to select your route and “pilot” the drones across Hamburg’s harbour, offering unfamiliar perspectives of the city’s new landmark.
The Elbe Philharmonic complex is built around a former warehouse known as the Kaispeicher A, designed by Werner Kallmorgen, which has been gutted and renovated. Visitors will enter via an 82m (269ft) escalator inside a glowing spherical tunnel, which rises through the building.
Set in contrast to the original brick facade of the Kaispeicher A, a glass covered volume – consisting of 1,100 individual panes – sits above. The windows are marked with small basalt grey reflective dots to prevent the structure from heating up in the sunlight, while at the same time creating a shimmering effect that changes as it catches different reflections.
The 7,000sq m (75,347sq ft) roof consists of eight spherical, concavely bent sections that form an elegantly curving silhouette.
The centrepiece of the complex is a world-class concert hall which rises 50m (164 ft) and can seat 2,100 spectators in interwoven tiers. To ensure excellent acoustics, the 12,500-tonne hall rests on 362 giant spring assemblies to decouple it from the rest of the building.
The new website is the latest example of drones being used to showcase otherwise unseen viewpoints of exciting new buildings, such as Bjarke Ingels’ VIA West 57 in New York and HOK’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
Herzog and de Meuron Hamburg Elbe Philharmonic Gemrnay architecture design Westin Hotels Starwood drone
New drone footage has captured the building in dramatic style Credit: Elbe Philharmomie
The building is a new city landmark in Hamburg's harbour Credit: Thies Rätzke
The centrepiece of the complex is a world-class concert hall which rises 50m (164 ft) and can seat 2,100 spectators Credit: Johannes Arlt
Interwoven tiers rise up the Grand Hall offering seating positions from every angle Credit: Johannes Arlt
The concert hall will open to the public in January 2017 Credit: Herzog and de Meuron
The windows are marked with small basalt grey reflective dots to prevent the structure from heating up in the sunlight Credit: Maxim Schulz
A shimmering glass volume is placed above the exiting Kaispeicher A warehouse, which has been renovated Credit: Maxim Schulz
Herzog and de Meuron have fit many facilities into the building Credit: Herzog and de Meuron
The public plaza will include a viewpoint over the harbour Credit: Oliver Heissner
The original Kaispeicher A building designed by Werner Kallmorgen Credit: Zoch
Visitors will enter via an 82m (269ft) escalator inside a glowing spherical tunnel Credit: Oliver Heissner
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Dramatic new drone footage has been released to showcase the architectural features of Herzog and de Meuron’s hotly-awaited Elbe Philharmonic building in Hamburg, Germany. The shimmering complex will house three concert halls, a Starwood Westin hotel and spa, 45 private apartments and an indoor public plaza when it officially opens on 11 January 2017. To whet appetites for the curtain-raising, a new website has been set up taking viewers on
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