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Projects / City Recital Hall
City Recital Hall:
Venue Reimagined
The City Recital Hall is a major concert hall located at Angel Place in Central Sydney. Archer Office were engaged by City of Sydney as the Architects responsible for the first major Capital Renewal Project to the City Recital Hall since its opening in 1999. A central objective of the Capital Renewal Project has been in support of further establishing the venue’s place in Sydney’s contemporary music scene, to complement classical offerings.
CONTEXT
The City Recital Hall was the first purpose-build concert venue to be built in Sydney since the Opera House in 1973, and was specifically designed for solo recitals, chamber music and the spoken word. Archer Office were engaged by City of Sydney as the Architects responsible for the first major Capital Renewal Project to the City Recital Hall since its opening in 1999.
The scope of works included staged upgrades to the foyers, including the four bars and cloakroom, the lower ground bathrooms, the dressing and green rooms, and the orchestra room, as well as upgrades to lighting and seating operations within the main auditorium.
Archer Office developed a scheme that has expanded the programming potential of the venue to transform the multiple foyers and spaces around the central auditorium into a series of spaces that can each be activated separately and together. Utilising strategies of stage and set design, the scheme introduced a darker base palette to create depth, before then introducing a series of new, featured elements including bars, architectural lighting installations and curtains, that drew focus away from the building to focus instead on the activations within each space.
CULTURAL / PERFORMING ARTS
The works to foyers compliment a series of upgrades within the auditorium that similarly improve its suitability for expanded uses, included new lighting fixtures custom-designed by Archer Office, as well as a new sound system, stage lighting, and newly removable seating that for the first time allows for standing audiences for contemporary music.
Upgrades to back of house, dressing rooms and the green room follow the palette of new upgrades to front of house foyers and bathrooms, to extend a consistent experience of the venue to both patrons and performers.
HOSPITALITY DESIGN
The project features four new bars, which service each foyer level. These bars, designed in collaboration with our subconsultant, The Mack Group, have dramatically increased the service capacity of the venue to efficiently deliver drinks and pre-prepared food to patrons.
FLEXIBLE EVENTS SPACES
The project has created a series of flexible programmable spaces throughout the building. The transformation the operational potential of the venue has been significant, and has been demonstrated by a substantial increase in utilisation for contemporary music and events held by commercial and industry partners, in addition to maintaining the venue’s reputation as an exemplary classical music venue.
WORKING WITH GOVERNMENT
The City Recital Hall project required a complex stakeholder consultation process with both the City of Sydney, and the City Recital Hall operations team. Archer Office prepared extensive design communication documents to facilitate reviews and approvals.
Fire Underwriters Plan 1917-1939 showing the site of the City Recital Hall bounded by Ash St and Angel Place. A diagonal cut reflects the location of the Tank Stream, Sydney’s first water supply.
Project Details
Location:
Sydney CBD
Year:
2024
Status:
Completed
Client:
City of Sydney
Programme:
Capital Works Upgrades
Size:
3107m2 (GFA)
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