Location: Leiden, Netherlands.

Architect: Ector Hoogstad Architects.

Leiden, a student city in the Netherlands, has a thriving pop scene and the city council decided to build a modern pop venue to strengthen its cultural profile and make the city centre more attractive. The council bought a block of buildings between the Lakenhal Museum and the Scheltema culture complex and Ector Hoogstad Architecten were asked to design a pop centre within the area of the block, making use of as much of the monumental buildings as possible. The result is Gebr. de Nobel, a brand new building in the historic centre of Leiden, with a main hall for an audience of 700 and a smaller one for 200 people. The entrance and foyer are in the old factory building on Marktsteeg, which has been renovated and now serves as a performance space. The theme of the design is the subtle combination of two opposites: old vs. new and crude vs. fine. The same materials are repeated on the inside: steel, brick, stone and wood. The small hall has a club feel and will be used for dance acts and new bands. The main concert hall has two U-shaped balconies, giving it a pleasant height and an exceptionally theatrical effect. The distance between the stage and the audience is extremely small, creating a sense of cosiness which is appreciated by both audience and artists. The fantastic acoustics of the first try-outs are very promising, and connoisseurs are already calling the hall one of the best in the Netherlands.

Photo credit: C_Petra Appelhof.