Bing Concert Hall

Stanford University's centerpiece

In January 2013, Stanford University unveiled its latest contribution to the performing arts with an inaugural concert in the brand-new Bing Concert Hall. The design of the building is a combination of architecture, acoustics, and technology, which exemplifies the university’s commitment to the community through the arts. The idea is to ensure that every student artist has access to a state-of-the art education, while still attracting the greater Bay Area community.

The hall is visually stunning with a sand-colored, round exterior surrounded by native California wildlife. The heart of the building holds the main concert space. Moving outwards, there is a cafe, a veranda, an extensive music library, several studio/rehearsal spaces, as well as generous public amenities. A foyer section with 19ft glass curtain wall creates an easy transition between the architecture and nature. Two outdoor terraces provide additional, natural rehearsal spaces for performers, allowing for a unrestricted connection to the outdoors. Pathways connecting the outdoor spaces are lit with a unique pattern, creating visual interest as well as meeting safety requirements.

For the more functional walkway areas, asymmetric fixtures are installed slightly off-path, and concealed by the abundant plant life. At night they provide an efficient way to light the adjacent pedestrian pathway. Thanks to a refined reflector system within the bollard, most of the light from this omni-directional lamp is re-directed uniformly onto the pathway below.

The building is constructed of concrete, including a 1’ thick wall separating the concert hall from the rest of the building. This helps prevent as much noise pollution from the outside as possible. The shape of the hall itself is an oval drum and inside there are no right angles. Each of the features within are rounded to enhance the acoustics of the space. This roundness is expanded to the outer boundaries of the building, and is reflected in the disk-shaped pole top fixtures found throughout the grounds.

The main entry sign for Bing Concert Hall is lit by in-grade, linear floodlights. The most attractive quality to using in-grade fixtures is their robust, low profile design. With signs such as this, above-grade, traditional floodlights can be distracting and hindering to the overall concept. By using in-grade fixtures, the designers have created a clean, seamless look while still illuminating the important information on the sign.