The Italian city of L'Aquila was badly hit by an earthquake in 2009. Before the disaster, it was known as a center for classical music, the site of a famous festival, but most of the concert halls were destroyed.
The first townspeople came to the aid of Shigeru Ban: in 2011, his concert hall on a frame made of cardboard tubes opened in L'Aquila. Now a permanent structure has appeared there - a hall designed by Renzo Piano at the request of the Italian province of Trento, which wished to provide assistance to the affected city.
This wooden structure is located next to the Spanish Castle and overlooks the square that connects it to the city center. It consists of three blocks: the largest contains the actual hall for 238 spectators and 40 musicians, the second - the foyer, bar, wardrobe and cashier, the third - dressing rooms and other utility rooms. "Cubes" are connected by corridors.
Facade cladding and floors are made of larch wood, the frame is izel. The material was chosen because of its anti-seismic qualities (the building will be able to withstand even a very strong earthquake) and environmental friendliness. Although the timber was harvested in a “sustainable” way, 200 trees will be planted nearby, more than offsetting the construction costs. The facades are covered with strips painted in 24 different colors with a total length of 20 km. The total area of the construction was 2500 m2.
The concert hall opened with a performance by the Bologna Orchestra Mozart under the direction of its artistic director Claudio Abbado.
