The hall, which fans say would be as instrumental for classical music as the Tate Modern was for visual arts, has a budget of £288m.
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The cost of an incoming London orchestra hall could more than double to £600m, an expert has claimed.
The hall, which fans say would be as instrumental for classical music as the Tate Modern was for visual arts, has a budget of £288m.
But Anthony Lewis, a structural engineer at design consultancy firm Alan Baxter, has his reservations over the cost of the project.
“Whether London needs such an expensive and large-scale project as this is questionable.
“It’s going to be very tricky for the money to be raised and whether there is a large enough call for a venue like this – it appears there is.
“But it’s reaching £300m and as we’ve seen in the new concert hall in Hamburg, that price escalated to more than double its projected cost. So, we’re probably looking [at a cost of] £500m to £600m here,” Lewis continued.
The plans for the 2,000 capacity hall claim it will be ‘acoustically perfect’. Credit: Diller Scofidio + Renfro
The project is a joint venture between the Barbican, London Symphony Orchestra and Guildhall School Of Music & Drama.
The latest plans and designs for the Centre Of Music were revealed on 21 January by American design studio Diller Scofidio + Renfro.
It will be built next to the Barbican, near Farringdon, replacing the existing Museum of London site.
But fears of its cost linger over the plans. The money for the 2,000-seat venue is going to be raised entirely from private donations.
“It’s always the case with construction projects that they go over-budget and for something this scale, potentially the architects could get carried away and unknowns could crop up in these uncertain times, so absolutely the cost could double,” added Lewis.
But the designs have been welcomed by the local community. Laura Marker, manager of Barbican Chimes Music shop, which is less than half a mile from where the hall will be built, hopes it will attract new fans of classical music.
“We’ve already got the current hall in the Barbican Arts Centre, but the new venue looks so exciting I suspect it will bring new audiences in so I should think it will increase footfall in the area and customers in the shop,” said Marker.
Local businesses like the Barbican Chimes Music shop say they hope the new venue will increase footfall. Credit: Fraser Simpson
“I think it’s important to get new people into classical music. London already has a big following for the genre, but anything new I guess couldn’t hurt.
“I think [it could be popular] given that they’re claiming that it’s going to be acoustically perfect, people will want to come and see if that’s true.”
The project led by the Barbican aims to get younger people into classical music. Credit: Diller Scofidio + Renfro
There has not been a completion date set for the hall. However, the plans come as the Museum of London sets to relocate to a site nearby Smithfield market. It’s due to open in 2023.
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HeadlineNew Centre Of Music orchestra hall cost could spiral to £600m
Short HeadlineOrchestra hall cost could spiral to £600m
Standfirst"Acoustically perfect" hall to be built on Museum of London site.
The cost of an incoming London orchestra hall could more than double to £600m, an expert has claimed.
The hall, which fans say would be as instrumental for classical music as the Tate Modern was for visual arts, has a budget of £288m.
But Anthony Lewis, a structural engineer at design consultancy firm Alan Baxter, has his reservations over the cost of the project.
“Whether London needs such an expensive and large-scale project as this is questionable.
“It’s going to be very tricky for the money to be raised and whether there is a large enough call for a venue like this – it appears there is.
“But it’s reaching £300m and as we’ve seen in the new concert hall in Hamburg, that price escalated to more than double its projected cost. So, we’re probably looking [at a cost of] £500m to £600m here,” Lewis continued.
The plans for the 2,000 capacity hall claim it will be ‘acoustically perfect’. Credit: Diller Scofidio + Renfro
The project is a joint venture between the Barbican, London Symphony Orchestra and Guildhall School Of Music & Drama.
The latest plans and designs for the Centre Of Music were revealed on 21 January by American design studio Diller Scofidio + Renfro.
It will be built next to the Barbican, near Farringdon, replacing the existing Museum of London site.
But fears of its cost linger over the plans. The money for the 2,000-seat venue is going to be raised entirely from private donations.
“It’s always the case with construction projects that they go over-budget and for something this scale, potentially the architects could get carried away and unknowns could crop up in these uncertain times, so absolutely the cost could double,” added Lewis.
But the designs have been welcomed by the local community. Laura Marker, manager of Barbican Chimes Music shop, which is less than half a mile from where the hall will be built, hopes it will attract new fans of classical music.
“We’ve already got the current hall in the Barbican Arts Centre, but the new venue looks so exciting I suspect it will bring new audiences in so I should think it will increase footfall in the area and customers in the shop,” said Marker.
Local businesses like the Barbican Chimes Music shop say they hope the new venue will increase footfall. Credit: Fraser Simpson
“I think it’s important to get new people into classical music. London already has a big following for the genre, but anything new I guess couldn’t hurt.
“I think [it could be popular] given that they’re claiming that it’s going to be acoustically perfect, people will want to come and see if that’s true.”
The project led by the Barbican aims to get younger people into classical music. Credit: Diller Scofidio + Renfro
There has not been a completion date set for the hall. However, the plans come as the Museum of London sets to relocate to a site nearby Smithfield market. It’s due to open in 2023.
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