Walt Disney Concert Hall, Frank Gehry Building Los Angeles, Architect, Photo, American Architecture

Walt Disney Concert Hall Los Angeles Building

Major Arts Building in L.A., California, USA, at 111 S Grand Avenue design by Frank Gehry architect

page updated Dec 2, 2018

Walt Disney Concert Hall

Los Angeles Philharmonic, California

Date built: 2003

Design: Gehry Partners

Address: 111 S Grand Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90012, United States

Contact: (980) 575-7099

Los Angeles Philharmonic, Los Angeles

The Walt Disney Concert Hall is home to the Los Angeles Philharmonic and was started back in 1987, completing around 2003-04.

Photos © Andrew McRae

The concert hall is a key part of the cultural hub in downtown Los Angeles and after Museo Guggenheim Bilbao it became Gehry’s next key work of architecture.

Gehry’s design of the auditorium – shaped like a convex box – is not simply designed for wow effect but is tailored to effectively convey orchestral sound.

The project was launched in 1987, when Lillian Disney, widow of Walt Disney, donated $50m. Frank Gehry delivered completed designs in 1991.

Construction of the underground parking garage began in 1992 and was completed in 1996. The garage cost had been $110m, and was paid for by Los Angeles County, which sold bonds to provide the garage under the site of the planned hall.

Construction of the concert hall itself stalled from 1994-96 due to lack of fundraising. Additional funds were required since the construction cost of the final project far exceeded the original budget.

Plans were revised, and in a cost-saving move the originally designed stone exterior was replaced with a less costly metal skin. The needed fundraising restarted in earnest in 1996 headed up by Eli Broad and then-mayor Richard Riordan and groundbreaking for the hall was held in December 1999.

Delay in the project completion caused many financial problems for the county of LA. The County expected to repay the garage debts by revenue coming from the Disney Hall parking users.

Upon completion in 2003, the project cost an estimated $274m; the parking garage alone cost $110m. The remainder of the total cost was paid by private donations, of which the Disney family’s contribution was estimated to $84.5m with another $25m from The Walt Disney Company. By comparison, the three existing halls of the Music Center cost $35m in the 1960s.
Source: wikipedia

Designed by architect Frank Gehry, Walt Disney Concert Hall, new home of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, is designed to be one of the most acoustically sophisticated concert halls in the world, providing both visual and aural intimacy for an unparalleled musical experience.

Through the vision and generosity of Lillian Disney, the Disney family, and many other individual and corporate donors, the city will enjoy one of the finest concert halls in the world, as well as an internationally recognized architectural landmark.

From the stainless steel curves of its striking exterior to the state-of-the-art acoustics of the hardwood-paneled main auditorium, the 3.6-acre complex embodies the unique energy and creative spirit of the city of Los Angeles and its orchestra.