David Geffen Hall

Project highlights: 

• Architect: Diamond Schmitt (Masterplan and Theater); Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects | Partners (Public Spaces)
• Owner: Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts / The New York Philharmonic
• Location: New York

Originally designed by Max Abramovitz in 1962, David Geffen Hall, home to the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, is a cultural landmark. Over the past 60 years, the hall has undergone multiple significant renovations, which added hundreds of seats but failed to address longstanding acoustical challenges. This project addressed the hall’s sound deficiencies, invigorated its public spaces, and ushered it into the contemporary era without altering the Upper West Side building’s iconic envelope.

The design team’s interventions were focused on improving the entire concert-going experience. Extraneous ticket booths at the hall’s entrance were removed, and vertical circulation was shifted to the perimeter, more than doubling the lobby’s square footage. Relocating the escalators made way for a welcome center and restaurant on the ground floor, bolstering the number of campus amenities. In addition, the lobby space has been acoustically tuned to accommodate a wide range of performances, including simulcasts from within the hall that allow guests to experience performances without a paid ticket.

Offices on the ground floor were moved to the hall’s top level, creating space for a new public-facing multipurpose performance space dubbed The Sidewalk Studio. From their new location, staff members are treated to views of New York’s skyline through a fritted glass frieze, which is illuminated at night to highlight the activity within. Along the hall’s grand promenade, the team added two overlooks for additional space for refreshments and programming, and to see and be seen. Throughout each concert-level tier, a repeating custom fabric wall treatment is inspired by the tradition of dropping thousands of rose petals through the open oculus of the Pantheon in Rome at Pentecost. The motif can also be found on the hall’s custom brass light fixtures and the seats within the concert hall.

The project has also transformed the existing concert hall from a cavernous shoebox into a curvilinear, unified room with significantly improved acoustics and optimized sightlines. Based on acoustical principles, the team reduced seating from 2,700 to 2,200, a strategy that improves access to sound and shapes a stronger connection between audience and performer. CNC-milled beechwood panels, whose rippled form evokes a musical instrument, line the hall and contribute to the improved acoustics.

While the COVID-19 pandemic presented untold challenges across the globe, it helped accelerate this project. The downtime when live performances were not possible allowed the team to address fundamental design problems and substantial deferred maintenance on the building’s many mechanical and theatrical systems. In the end, the project opened two years ahead of schedule and on budget. The immersive new home for the orchestra is a testament to Lincoln Center’s dedication to making arts and culture accessible to all.