Parco della Musica Centre in Rome

For six decades, Rome has been waiting for a new concert hall to replace the one destroyed during the Mussolini era. The competition held for this purpose in 1993 was won by Renzo Piano. Formally, his design is based on the soundbox of a string instrument. The new multifunctional centre, comprising three halls and a museum for historical instruments, is laid out around a stepped open amphitheatre and situated between the Olympic village and Pier Luigi Nervi’s sports structures dating from 1960. Archaeological remains found during the construction work were incorporated in the new complex. The small hall seats an audience of 700, while the Sinopoli Hall can accommodate 1,200 persons. The large hall for symphony concerts is laid out around a central, modular platform and can seat an audience of 2,800. Rehearsal rooms, foyers and other spaces are finished with wood and can all be used for musical performances. The wall and floor finishings are in American cherry. The new facilities were opened in April 2002 after a five-year construction period.