Concert Hall

Sound and music exist in GES-2 in many different forms— from audio installations to rave parties and school rock band festivals, from classical symphonic concerts to performances of the works of modern composers— many of them written especially for the House of Culture.

Tuning. Concert Bach 360. Dmitry Zubov
Photo: Ruslan Shavaleev

Our main concert venue is the Playhouse, which seats two hundred and ninety spectators. A built-in mechanism allows the front rows to be retracted into the floor, enlarging the stage several times, and the backdrop can function as panoramic glass wall overlooking the yard and the Forest.

The acoustic systems were designed by the Belgian Kahle Acoustics, also responsible for the sound in the new Philharmonie de Paris. High-tech equipment enables the creation of an acoustic environment tailored to each event, be it a chamber orchestra performance or a film screening.

Gabrieli, Svetlichny, Filanovsky. All Falls Silent
Photo: Anya Todich

However, sound and music travel far beyond the walls of the Playhouse. All of the House of Culture resonates with sound, from the Upper Platform to the underground Parking. Acoustic domes help to concentrate sound in certain spaces so that it does not disturb visitors in neighbouring ones. Speakers hidden in the Forest mean that even the area around GES-2 has the potential to become a platform for sound artists.

GES-2’s architecture, combined with acoustic engineering solutions, provides visitors with a unique listening experience, allowing them to discover new ways of interacting with art as they experience the space of the former power station transformed by Renzo Piano.