The House of Music is a venue for concerts and educational activities

In collaboration with the Austrian architecture practice, Coop Himmelb(l)au, FRIIS & MOLTKE were responsible for the architectural work on The House of Music in Aalborg. The total gross floor space is approx. 20,000 m² on six floors, and with three floors in the basement. The construction consists of a concert hall seating 1,300 with backstage and foyer facilities, along with smaller auditoriums, including an intimate auditorium, a classical auditorium and a rhythmic auditorium, as well as a restaurant and administrative offices.

The building’s educational and administrative section is U-shaped, virtually embracing the concert hall by folding around it on three sides and providing space for both the musical and educational activities. The educational section is located on floors 3-5 and consists of rooms for use by the Department of Music of Aalborg University, the Aalborg Symphony Orchestra and the North Jutland Conservatory of Music, all with common facilities, including the smaller rehearsal rooms. There is a generous view of the concert hall, making it possible to follow rehearsals and concerts.

A key element in the project was to create coherence between the concert hall and its surroundings, making it part of an attractive urban area close to the fjord. On this basis, a master plan was drawn up, followed by a plan for the area around the building. The latter includes a forecourt around Musikkens Hus and a harbour staircase down to the Limfjord as an open meeting place. Part of the façade has built-in solar cells. Voted Building of the Year.