Nordic Music Center | Architecture Thesis

Site Context

The selected site benefits from an open parking lot to the south, allowing ample natural light into the building. Its proximity to the HARPA music and conference center helps integrate the proposal into the city’s cultural environment. While the city skyline consists mainly of modern high-rises that cast long shadows in the morning, they are far enough from the site to prevent significant shading, except during winter. The open space around the site provides flexibility for massing studies, as there are no immediate physical obstructions, either natural or man-made.

A key challenge is the proposed highway tunnel, which could lead to acoustic issues due to structure-borne sound transmission if the building is directly grounded. To mitigate this, the design could incorporate a bridging approach with flexible joint mechanisms to reduce vibration impacts.

Additionally, the existing architectural language of HARPA, characterized by modern and high-tech materials, does not align well with the concept of a Nordic music center. Instead, natural materials, such as readily available local stone, would be more appropriate for the project. To offer something unique to the city that HARPA does not already provide, the project will focus on traditional music.

Design Process

The project collects and processes urban noise, converting it into sound that is electronically transported via strategically placed devices throughout the city to the Nordic Music Center. Here, the sounds are integrated into the building, creating an immersive and interactive auditory experience both within the structure and in connection with the city.

In return, music from the Nordic Center is transmitted back into the city and broadcast at its original locations and other selected points. This continuous exchange fosters a dynamic urban soundscape and encourages an ongoing dialogue between different neighborhoods.

Sound Collector and Emitter: These devices are placed in key urban locations where the soundscape is rich, diverse, and characteristic of city life. Positioned in high-activity areas, they capture and refine sounds, ensuring they can be effectively processed and transmitted.

Sound Transporter: Strategically distributed throughout the city, these devices collect, process, and relay sound between various locations and the Nordic Music Center, allowing for a seamless exchange of urban and musical soundscapes.

Concept: The Nordic Music Center represents the cultural identities of five Scandinavian countries—Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, and Iceland—by integrating both traditional and contemporary experimental music. The design incorporates an “Iceland tower” that collects and transforms urban noise into a cohesive and interactive sound experience. This approach aims to unify the fragmented soundscape of Reykjavik, encouraging coexistence rather than competition over sound domains. The building acts as an auditory bridge, fostering a symbolic dialogue between the city and its architecture.

Final Outcome

The center is designed as a series of pavilion-like spaces, each representing a Scandinavian country and arranged around a central circulation area to maintain acoustic separation. Positioned in water, the structure ensures a strong connection to nature while mitigating vibrations from nearby highways. Its location near the city center and the HARPA music hall strengthens cultural ties and integrates with urban infrastructure for energy generation. The orientation maximizes views of the northern landscape while optimizing natural light and wind currents for sustainability. The building blends sound, light, and form to create a multisensory, immersive experience.

The function is a concert hall to play experimental Scandinavian music influenced by the traditional music, and is represented by the building consisting of 5 different music halls, each representing one of the Scandinavian countries, their materiality and aesthetics responding to the function. They are unified by a grand mezzanine lobby which captures sounds from the ocean and from the city and internalizes them to create an immersive experience for the visitors.

The soundscape of Reykjavik is collected, processed and transported electronically via differently positioned devices throughout the city to the Nordic music center, where it is integrated into the building creating an interactive experience inside. The building is fully sustainable and uses modern energy-efficient building methods as well as fully renewable energy sources, such as wind, solar, thermal and tidal.

Sound plays a key role in defining spaces, influencing their orientation, acoustics, and volumetric design. Various energy sources, including wind currents, traffic vibrations, and tidal movement, are utilized to enhance sustainability and reduce environmental impact.

The structure integrates glass and concrete for function and aesthetics. Glass enhances light, atmosphere, and efficiency, with laminated and tempered types ensuring durability and insulation. Concrete offers strength, fire resistance, and adaptability, with waterproof and pre-stressed elements for stability in submerged areas. Glass is used for enclosures, while concrete supports load-bearing walls and interior finishes.

Conclusion: The project harmonizes sound, space, and materiality to create an immersive Nordic Music Center that integrates with Reykjavik’s urban and natural soundscape. Through innovative acoustics, sustainable energy strategies, and thoughtful material selection, the building becomes a dynamic cultural hub, unifying tradition and modernity while fostering a deep sensory connection between people, music, and the city.

(This thesis was inspired by student work at the Bartlett School of Architecture)

[This Academic Project has been published with text and images submitted by the student]