Following an open design competition which saw more than 50 entrants, three architecture firms have been narrowed down from a list of ten to potentially design the new Beethoven Concert Hall and Festspielhaus in Bonn, Germany.

UK-based David Chipperfield Architects, Kadawittfeldarchitektur from Germany and Valentiny Hvp Architects from Luxembourg have been announced as the top three contenders for the £55m (€67m, US$86m) project.


Rendering of Chipperfield’s design at night

Chipperfield’s design is a four-storey structure, with the capacity to hold 1,500 people/ 800 seats, constructed from spun concrete and glass. A statement the practice read: “For the first time in its history, architecture will be allowing the site to celebrate and enjoy its extraordinary strategic significance.”


In Kadawittfeldarchitektur’s proposal, the rippling exterior would be transposed into the interior through concrete and dark wood

Kadawittfeldarchitektur’s proposal aims to create a “harmony between the new hall and its surroundings,” without any sharp edges or corners. The structure is cast in ripples and curves, as if to blend seamlessly with it’s surrounding landscape and the banks of the Rhine.


Valentiny hvp Architects' proposal

Valentiny hvp Architects have created a wave shaped structure that will allow movement and integration through two main arcs and vaulting glass fronts. The firm commented: “A building for Beethoven should not be angular and closed. Instead, its climactic statements should come in a welcoming gesture of soft, dramaturgic movements.”

The concert hall is being built to coincide with Beethoven’s 250th birthday in 2020 and the 200th anniversary of his death in 2027. According to a statement from the Beethoven Festspielhaus, the hall will “not only bring Beethoven’s music to life, it will serve as an international 'house of music' that brings together diverse genres – from classical to pop – and will attract music lovers of all ages.”

The winning design practice will be chosen in 2015, with construction hopefully starting in 2016.