Location: Utrecht, Netherlands.

Architect: NL Architects.

The Muziekpaleis is a radical project that involves constructing a music building with four halls on top of the existing concert hall Vredenburg. The project is part of the renovation of the station area and aims to bring together different target groups in one building. The Crossoverzaal is an independent hall that can be used for a wide range of performances, including dance parties, stand-up comedy, fashion shows, product presentations, and congresses. It includes a spacious foyer and a flexible hall with a flat floor that can hold up to 600 people. The Hall itself is a Box, with balconies and ‘loggias’ connected to it in an irregular way, bulging out of the main volume. The starting point is the box-in-box principle, and the central idea is to connect. The Crossoverzaal is reaching out to the other halls, stretching out in all directions, creating a kind of star shape. The main entrance is on top of the Pop, and one of the balconies creates a direct link to the Jazz Hall. The foyer of Crossover and Chamber music hall can be connected into one space. Two tentacles, containing a bar and a balcony, touch the facades and open up to spectacular views over the city.

Photo credit: NL Architects.