Herzog & de Meuron's glass wave on a brick warehouse — Hamburg's crystalline crown
Concert hall.
Featured in Herzog & de Meuron's definitive monograph, Herzog & de Meuron: Natural History.
Visitor Guide
The free Plaza (viewing platform at the 8th floor) is accessible to everyone — no concert ticket needed. Book the escalator ride up. For concerts, book months ahead.
From the harbor ferry for the full building rising from the water. The Plaza terrace offers 360° views. At night, the illuminated glass crown is Hamburg's defining image.
Plaza: free, but timed tickets required (book online or same-day from the ground floor). Concerts: book well ahead. The surrounding HafenCity area is worth exploring.
The glass crown sits on a 1960s cocoa warehouse — the old and new are separated by the Plaza level. The acoustic interior (designed by Yasuhisa Toyota, same as Disney Hall) uses 10,000 unique algorithmically-generated gypsum fiber panels for sound diffusion. No two panels are identical.
1 hour (Plaza) or 3 hours (concert)
Design & Structure
Herzog & de Meuron used algorithms to generate the 10,000 unique acoustic panels — each one was CNC-milled from gypsum fiber board based on acoustic simulations. The glass façade's curved form was parametrically designed with each pane individually shaped. The marriage of 1960s brick warehouse and contemporary glass is deliberate architectural dialogue.
Brick (existing warehouse), glass (1,100 unique curved panels), white acoustic gypsum panels (10,000 unique CNC-milled shapes). The glass is curved, printed with silver dots, and some panels are openable. The acoustic panels are the building's computational masterpiece.
The new concert halls sit on massive spring-damper isolators above the old warehouse — acoustically decoupled from the structure below. This allows the old concrete to support new loads without transmitting vibration.
More by Herzog & de Meuron
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Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance
De Young Museum
Parrish Art Museum
Walker Art Center
Cartoonmuseum Basel – Centre for Narrative Art
Pérez Art Museum Miami
Nearby in Hamburg-Mitte
Frequently Asked Questions
Who designed Elbphilharmonie?+
Elbphilharmonie was designed by Herzog & de Meuron and completed in 1963. It is located in Hamburg-Mitte, Germany.
Where is Elbphilharmonie located?+
Elbphilharmonie is located in Hamburg-Mitte, Germany. Its coordinates are 53.5414°, 9.9842°.
When was Elbphilharmonie built?+
Elbphilharmonie was completed in 1963. It was designed by Herzog & de Meuron.
Can I visit Elbphilharmonie?+
Elbphilharmonie is a real building in Hamburg-Mitte that can be viewed from the outside. Check local information for interior access and visiting hours. Use the Parametric Atlas walking tour feature to plan a route that includes this building.