Paviljonki, Jyväskylä
Conversion of a congress hall, the Paviljonki Auditorium, into a multipurpose hall suitable for classical music performances, notably those of the Jyväskylä Sinfonia, founded in 1955. With an average of a 120 performances per year, the orchestra was in much need of a home concert hall, providing versatility together with optimum stage acoustics and listening conditions.
Kahle Acoustics was invited by the orchestra and Akukon Oy to develop a feasibility study and acoustical concepts for the transformation, as well as collaborating on the acoustical tuning prior to the opening. With a remodelled stage enclosure providing a natural acoustic response for the musicians and an electronic reverberation system, the hall now provides very good acoustical conditions for classical music.
Information Sheet
Renovation/Transformation Intervention/Tuning Paviljonki www.paviljonki.fi
Location Jyväskylä, Finland.
Project Cost 3.9 million € excluding the electro-acoustic system.
Time Frame January 2022-January 2024.
Owner City of Jyväskylä + Jyväskylä Sinfonia www.jyvaskylasinfonia.fi
Architect(s) Original design 1999: CJN Arkkitehdit • Pekka Paavola Arkkitehdit • Original acoustics: Raimo Parjo • Renovation: Arkkitehtitoimisto A-Konsultit, Finland, with Matti Heikkinen, Jyrki Iso-Aho, Meri-Aurea Pfeifer www.a-konsultit.fi
Seat Count Multipurpose hall with a variable seat-count of between 600 and 1 200 seats. The seat-count and size of the hall are adjusted by rotating two rear “pods” either creating one single room or three independently usable rooms. Total surface area 20 000 m².
Uses Home to the Jyväskylä Sinfonia. Classical music concerts, chamber music concerts, pop music concerts and congress.
Services Acoustic feasibility study and concept proposals for the transformation and on-site pre-opening tuning of the variable acoustics elements (both physical and electronic) during initial rehearsals and trials, all in collaboration with Henrik Möller and colleagues (Akukon Oy), Tapio Lokki (Aalto University), Antti Murto (Audico) and John Pellowe and colleagues (Meyer Sound).
Team Vincent Berrier, Yann Jurkiewicz, Eckhard Kahle, Kahle Acoustics. In collaboration with Henrik Möller and his team at Akukon Oy.
The Paviljonki Auditorium is a multipurpose hall with a capacity of between 600 and 1 200 seats. After renovation work, the hall now provides excellent acoustics for classical music, as well as for the continuing congress use. Photo © Akukon Oy
The two-rotating circular “pods” are an innovative feature of the hall, see here in the rear of the hall. When rotated by 180° the seating capacity of the main room can be reduced from 1 200 to 600 seats. Each pod then becomes a self-contained smaller congress room that can be used in parallel with the main space. Photo © Akukon Oy
The stage enclosure is a new construction, optimized to enhance acoustic cross-communication between the musicians and acoustic projection to the audience. The rear stage wall has been pushed back, the stage wall and ceiling surfaces have been optimised for sound reflections back to the musicians and variable acoustics curtains have been integrated. In addition, the Constellation electronic reverberation system by Meyer Sound has been integrated, comprising 60 microphones and 200 active speakers, generating additional reflections and reverberation in order to provide both performers and listeners with a fully adapted acoustic experience. Photo © Kahle Acoustics
Side walls of the Paviljonki Auditorium, showing the absorbing surfaces with integrated active loudspeakers. In this image, the “pods” (secondary congress spaces) are in the “open” configuration, the photo being taken from one of the “pods”. The main space functions acoustically both in the “open” and in the “closed” configuration, both for rehearsals and for concerts with smaller capacities. Photo © Kahle Acoustics
Side walls of the Paviljonki Auditorium, here in the “open” configuration, showing the absorbing surfaces with integrated (hidden) active loudspeakers. Photo © Kahle Acoustics
Side walls of the Paviljonki Auditorium, showing the absorbing surfaces with integrated active loudspeakers. In this image, the “pods” (secondary congress spaces) are in the “closed” configuration, the photo being taken in front of one of the “pods”. The main space functions acoustically both in the “open” and in the “closed” configuration, both for rehearsals and for concerts with smaller capacities. Photo © Kahle Acoustics
Lateral view of the Paviljonki Auditorium, the multipurpose hall with a capacity of between 600 and 1 200 seats. After renovation work, the hall now provides excellent acoustics for classical music, as well as for the continuing congress use. Photo © Kahle Acoustics
Detail of the acoustically treated wood slats, back side of the “pods”. In the “closed” configuration, this “back side” of the pods (once again with integrated active loudspeakers) becomes the back wall of the main space. Photo © Kahle Acoustics
Plan of the Paviljonki Auditorium showing the “pods” configurations, on the left in “open” configuration with its audience looking at the main stage hall, and on the right the “closed” configuration allowing a separate and simultaneous use with an audience facing a different stage. © Paviljonki, Akukon Oy