Rome - New Auditorium Parco della Musica

Rome's new Auditorium, designed by Renzo Piano, was officially opened on April 21, the mythical date of foundation of the city. The day featured music and concerts in a celebration that lasted 24 hours and involved hundreds of world-renowned artists.

Scale model - aerial view

The Music Park, an oasis located between the Olympic Village and Villa Glori, with oaks, pines, and plane-trees, accommodated some 10,000 people including common folk, as well as politicians, intellectuals, and members in show business.

Seven years of work, a 270 billion lira investment for this great citadel of music, a place Renzo Piano calls of worship "both sacred and profane, with a link to the city in its everyday, urban dimension. It also has the spiritual dimension, with music, singing, entertainment.

An ancient Greek agora with the perfumes of the Mediterranean. I think that the Romans have discovered a great passion for their Auditorium".

In the last few months over 1,200 waiters and technicians worked hard to complete the middle hall, seating 1,200. The challenge was successfully met, despite numerous problems plaguing the works.

Each hall has its own characteristics - the fruit of previous experience in the acoustics field and designed as musical instruments. These huge sound boxes are structurally separate for acoustic reasons and have different architectonic and functional features.

The 700-seat Hall can play host to concert operas, baroque and chamber music and theatrical plays, but also performances on a symphonic level, thanks to the possibility of moving the walls to open up the stage arch and thus redefine the layout of the stage.

The 1200-seat Hall is characterised by even greater flexibility regarding both the acoustics and the layout of the stage and stalls, thus offering the possibility of not only a large orchestra and choir, but also ballet and contemporary music.

The 2800-seat Hall, the maximum limit for natural acoustics and good listening quality and concentration, is for symphony concerts with large orchestras and choir. The flexible layout stage is positioned centrally to guarantee best visibility and sound.

All the Auditorium's spaces, both external and internal, are purpose built for music, and in this way the large and small rehearsal rooms, the foyer and the amphitheatre also become places for music, thanks to their layout and the materials used. Three grey domes emerge inside the immense park (55,000 square meters inclusive of recording studios, changing moms, restaurants, bars, shops, libraries, and museums), floors in red travertine (a tribute to Rome), decorations in lead, concrete and especially precious wood. "Wood is fundamental," remarked Piano. "Wood is music itself. Just remember Steinway, and Stradivari".

The complex:

55.000 sq. m. in area

500.000 cu. m. capacity

40.000 sq. m of gardens and squares

7.850 seats

700 place covered car park

42.000 sq. m of services

Original Sketch by Renzo Piano