Concert Hall Blaibach
This project, Unique in Germany –aiming to revitalise a formerly flourishing tourist centre by constructing a concert hall – has received much attention in the media. For example, the Süddeutsche Zeitung wrote the following in March 2015: “One of Europe’s best concert halls for chamber music has been built in the middle of the village of Blaibach in the Bavarian Forest, within a short period of time and for only 2.5 million Euros…”
The concert hall was selected as a beacon project of the urban development programme “Ort schafft Mitte” (Location Creates Centre) on the initiative of “Kulturwald-Festspiele Bayerischer Wald” (Bavarian Forest) in cooperation with the community of Blaibach; it was planned and built by the architect Peter Haimerl. The generously sponsored hall is the centrepiece of the project, and is situated at the centre of the town square next to the new community centre and two newly renovated buildings protected as national monuments. The solitary, free-standing concrete building, adapted to the topographical surroundings yet protruding as a monolith inclined towards the town square, is coated in a granite façade, reminding of Blaibach’s stone-carving tradition. Built according to the specifications of the acoustics experts of Müller-BBM, there is room in the auditorium for about 200 listeners, seated on ascending rows of wire chairs. A sophisticated convolution of the special concrete walls ensures an optimal sound quality; the concrete on the interior of the concert hall is untreated. Its vibrant surfaces serve to absorb the moderately high tones.
With approximately 50 events each year, the “Kulturwald” (Cultural Forest) attracts visitors from all over Germany as well as from abroad, to Blaibach. Established major events on the programme include the annual Kulturwald Festival in September, smaller thematic series such as the Bavarian Forest Bach Academy or the Bavarian Forest Schubertiade. (…) Text by Uta Hielscher, Co-Managing Director of Kulturwald GmbH, which initiated and continues to operate Concert Hall Blaibach
