Dream score for acoustics - Muziekgebouw aan 't IJ Amsterdam

Amsterdam/Aachen: A new music building was built on the banks on the river IJ in Amsterdam and was inaugurated by Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands on 15 June 2005.

This impressive building, which was designed by the Danish architects' office 3XNielsen A/S in cooperation with the Dutch architects' office ABT, already enjoyed great popularity within few weeks of opening. Acoustics experts praise in the highest terms the unique quality of acoustics in the concert hall providing 735 seats and standing room for 1,500 persons when the seats are removed.

By adjusting the level of floor and ceiling, it is possible to change the hall layout as required; this leads to reverberation times of between 1.0 and 2.5 seconds, which affects the hall acoustics. The maximum room height is 24 m.

The rectangular concert hall was designed as "room in room" system. The sheathing from maple wood gives the hall a warm and cosy atmosphere.

KRANTZ KOMPONENTEN supplied swivel nozzles, which were installed at several gallery levels and above these between the wood structures, as well as seat displacement outlets for the whole hall.

Heavy demands were placed on both acoustics (15 dB(A) sound pressure level) and thermal comfort right from the beginning, i.e. from the design stage. The nozzles, for instance, were to achieve high throws and a low sound power level while having small dimensions.

Our Dutch agency PEEK b.v. in Tilburg developed, together with KRANTZ KOMPONENTEN, nozzle boxes that were tested for acoustics at the Peutz b.v. laboratory for acoustics.

According to Jan Wolff, Director of the music complex, the requirements for thermal comfort and acoustics have been complied with outstandingly well.

"Muziekgebouw aan 't IJ Amsterdam"