New Symphony Hall Avoids Starchitecture

The new Montreal Symphony Hall design is revealed. The architect states, 'We are not building for the ego of the architect, large as it might be.'

1 minute read

May 31, 2009, 11:00 AM PDT

By Tim Halbur


'We are not building for the ego of the architect, large as it might be,' Diamond said when asked to compare his simple conception with Frank Gehry's Walt Disney Hall in Los Angeles and other flamboyant arts edifices.

'We are doing this for the future of concert going in Montreal. We are placing the building in a contemporary and responsible manner that deals with the verities of a great symphony hall.'

Both the facade of the hall on the plaza of Place des Arts and much of the long wall along St. Urbain St. (where the main entrance will be) are composed of rectangular see-through glass panels. While the interior of he hall will be isolated visually and acoustically, the lobby areas, especially when illuminated at night, will be visible from the outside.

Thanks to ArchNewsNow

Friday, May 29, 2009 in The Montreal Gazette

"Planetizen federal action tracker" logo superimposed over black and white image of US Capitol dome.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

October 28, 2026 - Zachary Whalen

A car drives through a puddle, making a large splash. Rain pours down.

California plans to bury El Niño’s downpour

If the state plays its cards right, it may be able to store a billion acre-feet of El Niño’s water in aquifers.

October 28, 2026 - Grist

Lake Powell with much of the water evaporated.

Desperate measures: Advocates weigh draining Lake Powell to fill Colorado River

Draining the reservoir could reduce evaporation losses by a couple hundred thousand acre-feet.

October 30, 2026 - Yale Environment 360

A Firefighter sprays water from a hose at a tall blaze.

US buildings threatened, destroyed by fires set to triple by 2060

Researchers found a high fire risk for socioeconomically vulnerable neighborhoods in the American West.

November 4 - Inside Climate News

People cross a crosswalk in Los Angeles.

LA residents may be allowed to paint their own crosswalks

Councilwoman Katy Yaroslavsky put out a motion instructing the Los Angeles Department of Public Transportation to study the feasibility of allowing volunteers to paint crosswalks.

November 4 - ABC7

Two women walking on the sidewalk in Dallas.

Dallas moves to overhaul its zoning code

The city's zoning reform will allow more multi-family and mixed-use developments.

November 4 - Yahoo News