Boston Symphony Orchestra
Seiji Ozawa Hall at Tanglewood
Project
Seiji Ozawa Hall at Tanglewood
Client
Boston Symphony Orchestra
Location
Lenox, MA
Completion
1994
Size
36,200 GSF
Category
The Arts, Featured Projects
A ROOM FOR MUSIC
Seiji Ozawa Hall at Tanglewood is a 1200-seat concert hall marked by a strong wood interior and surrounding balconies. In addition to serving as summer home to the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the building houses the Tanglewood Music Center’s fellowship program for 160 leading young musicians. Performances range from full symphony orchestras to recitalists. The resulting work, which balances the intensity of the music making experience with the informal sylvan landscape of its setting, is acclaimed for its quality in both the music and the architectural presses.
Ozawa was named “2nd Best American Concert Hall built in the last 50 Years” and “13th Best Concert Hall in the World” by Leo Beranek’s Concert Halls and Opera Houses.
[It] is precisely what a concert hall should be: a resonant, warm space that comes to life with sound.
Edward Rothstein, Music Critic
IMMERSED IN LANDSCAPE
A large barn door at the rear of the hall opens the concert hall to the lawn, providing direct views of the stage from the outside and additional seating for 2,000 listeners. Ambient and direct amplification replicate the sound from within the hall for the outdoor audience.
INTIMACY AND WARMTH
Ozawa Hall creates a sense of warmth with its wood balconies, wood seats, and wood floor. When filled, the hall establishes a sense of intimacy where the audience members, facing each other, surround the musicians.
PERFORMANCE HALL IN USE
Summer concerts open to the outdoor lawn, bringing music to over 2,000 listeners.
The Hall creates excellent acoustics for performances ranging from full orchestras to soloists.
Ozawa provides a venue for dance, theatre, and talks, like this Mark Morris Dance Group performance.
Over 25 years later, Ozawa remains beautiful and vibrant - an example of timeless design
Immersing audience in the music: Schubert's Summer Journey Program, 2017
Awards + Recognition
2000 National AIA Interior Architecture Honor Award
1995 National AIA Architecture Honor Award
2000 BSA/IIDA/ASID Interior Architecture Honor Award
1996 American Wood Council Wood Design Merit Award
1995 Interiors Magazine Best in Recreation and Entertainment Design
1995 Architectural Woodwork Institute Award of Excellence
1995 Brick Institute of America Brick in Architecture Award
1995 International Association of Lighting Designers Lighting Design Citation
1995 National Association of Home Builders Grand Award
1995 USITT Architecture Honor Award
1994 BSA Design Excellence Honor Award
1994 AIA New England Architecture Honor Award
Architecture Magazine, "Decorated Shed," Dec 1, 1994.
The Boston Globe Magazine, "Bill Rawn's Room for Music," Katharine Whittemore, July 25, 1994.
The New York Times, "Changed But the Same," Edward Rothstein, July 9, 1994.
Concert Halls and Opera Houses, Leo Baranek, 1995
The Atlantic Monthly, "Sounds as Good as it Looks," Witold Rybczynski, June 1 1996.
New York Magazine, "Splendor in the Grass," Peter G. Davis, Jul 25, 1994.
Boston Sunday Globe, "Seiji Ozawa Hall is an integral part of Tanglewood," Richard Dryer, Aug 1, 2004.
Project Consultants
Structural Engineer | LeMessurier Consultants, Inc.
Mechanical / Electrical Engineer | TMP Consulting Engineers, Inc. and Lottero + Mason Associates, Inc.
Civil Engineer | Foresight Land Services
Landscape Architect | Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, Inc.
Lighting Consultant | Douglas Baker
Theater Consultant | Theatre Projects Consultants, Inc.
Acoustical Engineer | Kirkegaard Associates
Photography | Robert Benson + Steve Rosenthal + Hilary Scott