The Jinji Lake Concert Hall is a gem within a gem. Situated within the renowned architect Paul Andreu’s Suzhou Culture and Arts Centre, the Jinji Lake Concert is designed and built specifically to be the home of the Suzhou Symphony Orchestra. Inaugurated on September 30, 2017, the concert hall is a project of architectural ingenuity and acoustical marvel. The internationally acclaimed acoustician Yasuhisa Toyota led his team of specialists who devoted their talents and expertise to this project of restructuring the current exhibition hall in the Suzhou Culture and Arts Centre and building in its place a brand new structure that will occupy an area of 6,000 square meters and an acoustical volume of 8,000 cubic meters. Mr. Toyota’s previous masterpieces of acoustical engineering have inc…

An Interview with Erik Bergal about the Jinji Lake Concert Hall, Maestro Toyotas assistant, Nagata AcousticsSZSO: The wood for the stage is Alaskan Yellow Cedar. Why this wood?EB: The stage surface is of key acoustical importance since it is the closest sound reflecting surface. Alaskan Yellow Cedar has a fine grain that is strong enough to physically support the musicians while flexible enough to vibrate with the orchestra. Instruments like cello and double bass make a physical connection with the stage via their endpins and rely on the sympathetic vibrations to project their sound.SZSO: What is the purpose of the fans on all the walls?EB: The fans on the walls are used for acoustic diffusion. Incoming sound is scattered in many random directions. This creates an even sound field in the …

State-of-the-art AcousticsSIP Urban Redevelopment Co. Project Manager, Weiqin Chi:“The Jinji Lake Concert Hall is a very specific construction project. As a multi-functional concert hall, the space has to have a well-engineered acoustical system while aiming after architectural beauty. This construction is a ‘house within a house’ structure. In other words, an independent structure is built in an existing space located on the 2nd floor of the Suzhou Culture and Arts Centre. Every element in this construction, like the walls, soffits, floors, stage, equipment, even the audience seats, has undergone the most precise and strict acoustical test. The sound insulation has reached a level of near perfection; hardly any noise from outside, except for an occasional siren or helicopter, can be per…

Tongji University Architecture Firm, Chief Architect: Yunbing Zhou:“The inspiration for the design of this concert hall comes from the softness in the local culture of Suzhou and from the fluidity of music itself. The idea for designing these tiles on the wall shaped like a fan comes from the folding fans, a traditional element of Suzhou, which has a decorative effect but also fulfills an important acoustical function with its irregular surfaces perfect for the reflection of sound.”Feng Xu, principal architect of the Jinji Lake Concert Hall, professor of architecture at the Tongji University School of Architecture:“Suzhou is a city with two facades. It is an ancient culture with a long legacy in the theatre art, featuring such cherished genres as the Pingtan and the Kunqu Opera. It is al…