CASA DA MUSICA-PORTO

After arriving and checking into my accommodations, I am informed that I have a few hours before the room will be ready. So, without a shower since yesterday morning and wrinkled clothing, I freshen up and head out to find the Casa da Musica.

Porto has a fairly new metro system, and fortunately I am again close to a stop and easily get to the music hall.

Setting in the middle of a travertine plaza rises a multi-faceted concrete object with various types of glazing expressed on its surface. Depending on your position, views through the glass allow you to see that each of these spaces is treated in vary different materials. On an opening just above the plaza level, a stainless steel stair slides out of the opening an rests on the ground.

Entering the building up this stair, you arrive in an exceptionally vertical space that is defined by a stair with angular walls on one side (the facade) and a clean vertical wall on the other. Above, different shapes jut out into the space and angular columns cut through bracing who knows what. Adjacent also to the entrance is a ticket / coat check and a bank of Apple computers for composing electronic music; all is for the public. On the other side of the coat check is another stair that works its way up through the building. The entry sequence is one of two spaces that cut through the entire building; the other is the main concert hall.

Stairs and corridors are expressed with stainless steel, perforated screens, and exposed concrete. Therefore, any space that is not 'circulation' is treated with a new material. Moving up through the building past different bars and break-out spaces for intermissions, I arrive at one of the main concert hall's two ends. This is another exceptionally vertical space defined by a 'wavy' glass wall on both sides--you are standing in the air separation between the building and the hall. The concert hall is a shoebox type with the stage placed at a position that allows seating on both sides. The walls are plywood sheets with a gold leaf pattern recalling the wood's grain enlarged and pixelated imprinted onto the wood itself, so from afar, the actual wood recedes as different shades of brown with a new layer of golden veins that change intensity depending on the time of day. Also on the two wood side walls are different cutouts, again in 'wavy' glass exposing different spaces looking into the main hall.

Since the stage is placed in such a way that the audience can set on either side, a curtain is not necessary. The 'wavy' glass recalls the draping of a curtain, but its use is not simply for aesthetic reasons; as suspected, I was informed that the shape if for acoustical means. The repeating regular wave is extruded in plan; unlike a plane of glass, when the 'wavy' glass is pushed upon there is no noticeable deflection. By stiffening the glass through a change in its structural qualities, vibrations are reduced or eliminated altogether allowing for vast amounts of natural light and visual permeability to exist in a typology that is not accustomed to these traits-- all without compromising the acoustical qualities of the performance hall.

The seats are also ingenious. At first, I didn't think twice about the actual seat, but once I set down in one, it made perfect sense after a few seconds. All the seats are in the down position, which I didn't first consider when I set down. Normally when I take my seat at a theater, I have to lower the seat before actually setting. Initially, I thought this is the most uncomfortable seat as I had like 12 inches or so to set upon and my butt almost didn't fit! I first thought 'geeze... fat Americans... standing room only in the back of the theater!' but then I have seen some Europeans with some big butts, too, so... Fortunately, the seat slides out transforming the seat to a regular and comfortable dimension. By making the seat sliding instead of folding, you eliminate those awkward situations in a typical row of seating when people brush their butts against you as you stand up, fold your seat up, and turn ever-so-slightly to allow the patron to pass saying, 'excuse me, excuse me...' Here, you just slide back and there is enough room for everyone to have their personal space and enough distance to pass. The armrests are a clear, rubber-like resin cast over a steel arm with the seat number cutout. LED lights are illuminated to backlight the number making it easy to see, while, at the same time, casting a small glow under the armrest with just enough light that if you need to read your program during a performance, you can. I don't know if it is a difference between Europeans and Americans or just this theater, but at the evening's performance I attended, no usher had to come to a row, shine their small flashlight in your face and ask you to move over a seat because the numbers are unclear which seat is which. Everyone took their seat and we all enjoyed a marvelous concert from the Porto Symphony.

A second, smaller performance hall is located next to the main hall; it is clad in perforated plywood panels dipped in red ink that make each panel vary in color intensity (again as I was informed). Here, the seats and stage are movable allowing for various types of performances to occur from a piano recital that I attended to and electronic rave (which was not while I was there, sadly).

There are numerous performance, VIP, and regular patron lounges that overlook the main concert hall. There are photos of each in the photo album; the link is below.

Finally, at the roof level is a fantastic restaurant and a very special outdoor terrace adjacent that opens towards views of the city and the ocean. The terrace is clad in black and white tiles and the side walls follow the angle of the roof; at the point where the side walls fall below a handrail height, a glass handrail stops you from moving to the complete edge.

If you get a chance to go to the Casa da Musica, you must make it up to see this terrace. The complex has adopted a belief that attending a theater experience shouldn't be for a select few. My performance's ticket was 15E; except at some small theaters downtown, I don't think you could get a ticket for the quality of performance I saw for that price in NYC. Also, the building is completely open. No one ever stopped me from going into either of the concert halls or any of the other spaces for that matter; besides the rehearsal rooms and performers' dressing rooms, only one space was closed off to the public. This newly adopted 'transparency' the complex has adopted wants people to visit the building and see as much as possible without compromising the performers' privacy.

http://picasaweb.google.com/christopher.kitterman/CasaDaMusicaOMA?authkey=Y3fFcGyn-H8#