The only way to be able to be part of Paris’ distinguished landscape is to be iconic. La Seine Musicale, the new concert hall with photovoltaic sound, manages to be just that, and it fits the City of Lights like a glove. The dazzling building is located on Île Seguin. Some fashion experts maintain that accessorizing is everything, and the new auditorium is draped with photovoltaic cells that supply its energy. France has succeeded in creating music powered by photovoltaic sound.
The solar auditorium
The outside of La Seine Musicale could resemble a Fabergé egg with its glass and glossy exterior embraced by a sail of solar panels. The design is by Shigeru Ban and Jean de Gastines. The structure is made of latticed laminated timber and glass. The exterior is in and of itself striking and alluring, but the pièce de résistance, as the French would say, is the triangular sail-like mantle of photovoltaic cells.
The photovoltaic sail
The solar panels are 10,000 ft² and fixed on rails that allow them to rotate to follow the movement of the sun. Therefore, the panels receive direct sunshine throughout the day and can keep the concert hall energized. Ban’s firm explained that:
“The form of the solar panel is inspired by a sail, so we can compare La Seine Musicale to a sailing ship.”
Quite appropriately, this sailing musical wonder is surrounded by the River Seine. The design electrifies solar energy, which serves the purpose of feeding the music inside. Photovoltaic energy turns into photovoltaic sound.
Inside the musical ship
The vowels of La Seine Musicale house two auditoriums: a large, multipurpose one and a smaller space. The Grand Seine allows to seat 6,000 spectators who enjoy ballets, musicals, and concerts. The petit, not so petit venue seats 1,150 classical music lovers. Both spaces are for non-amplified music.
The inside of the music hall is designed in warm wooden tones, making us think of the inside of a beehive. The aim is to create an intimate atmosphere, inviting the audience to become confidantes and bringing them closer to the performers. Every feature of the acoustic interior is designed to work in favor of the non-amplified music, elevating it and the experience as well.
However, not everything is classical music. Although the warm inside of the hall is the opposite of its futuristic exterior, it is eclectic and modern in what it offers. It houses a street paved with shops, music studios, practice rooms, and even a jazz club for music lovers.
The location and the designer
La Seine Musicale is located on the way to Versailles. The place where it sits was owned by Louis XV, the grandfather of Louis XVI, who in turn was the husband of Marie Antoinette. Both lost their heads during the French Revolution. With the French Revolution, the land became owned by the state. Many years later, Louis Renault bought it to build his first factory, which was demolished in 2005. And then came the time for music.
Shigeru Ban is a Japanese architect who was the recipient of the Pritzker Prize in 2014 for his work in disaster relief. He is celebrated for his imaginative work with cardboard tubes, which he used to create temporary shelters for disaster victims. Paris is no stranger to Ban, as he also participated in the design of the Centre Pompidou-Metz.
La Seine Musical glides on the west of Paris, on the road to Versailles, turning sunshine into music and decorating the Parisian landscape with its appealing, futuristic, and environmentally friendly appearance. This musical egg brings its culture and entertainment offer to Paris’ already vast portfolio.