CONCERT HALL, HÄLSINGBORG, SWEDEN

Designed by Sven Markelius, completed 1932
The Hälsingborg Concert Hall was built in 1932 on Drottning-gatan opposite St.
Jörgen’s Square. Hailed as a pioneering work of functionalism, it is also the first
monumental exponent of the modern style in Sweden. The long and complicated history
reflects changes that occurred in the first decades of the 20th century, not only
architecturally but also socially.
In 1911 a permanent orchestra was established in Hälsingborg with its spa. In 1915 it
was suggested that the local authori ties should erect a society house (Borgarnas Hus)
with a concert space. Because public funding was not forthcoming, the industrialist
Henry Dunker suggested in 1916 a corporate venture; Dunker managed to secure a
majority of shares and became, in practice, the builder. Later, it gave him the possibility
to offer unflagging support for the radical new ideas of the architect.
From the outset two lines were represented in the building committee: the idea of a
multipurpose society house and the idea of a single-purpose concert hall. Initially, the
first idea came to influence the various projects proposed, whereas the latter idea won out
in the end. In 1918, on their own initiative, two young architects, Sven Markelius and
Olof Lundgren, submitted drawings for a hotel, including a concert space and assembly
rooms, that was never realized. They had already won an architectural competition for a
local residential area that only Markelius was commissioned to execute as his first
independent project.
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In 1925 an architectural competition was announced for a society house containing a
concert hall, spa, assembly rooms, lecture halls, banqueting halls, and a movie theater.
Among the invited architects, Markelius appeared once more and was subsequently
awarded the commission.
Architecturally, the 1920s in Sweden are famed for their classicism, internationally
dubbed “Swedish Grace.” Following the lead of his former employer, Ivar Tengbom,
whose famous Stockholm Concert Hall was conceived in 1920 and inaugurated in 1926,
Markelius originally turned his eye to classical architecture to find his inspiration. The
main facade of his final winning contribution offered an austere prostyle Roman temple
front with columns of giant order based on the temple of Hadrian, thereby strongly
resembling its Stockholm forerunner. Even the rectangular ground plan for the concert
hall was based on classical precepts.
Meanwhile, social and cultural conditions changed. In response to this, Markelius
made new drawings in 1929–30. Jadelius has shown that he then felt that contemporary
needs were better served with a more anonymous, democratic architecture that did not
demand a classical humanistic education from its audience. Thus, when the project was
finalized, all traces of classicism had been stripped from the proposed building.
Professional critics were thrilled at the result, but locally there arose a furor, as the
architect had not bothered to inform the authorities of the change in formal character. In
the end the architect was sued but won in court because he had followed all legal
stipulations as to security and hygienic issues.
In keeping with the tenets of functionalism, the exterior form now emanated from the
bold plan, which was based on strict rationality and separation of functions. The building
was given an L shape, but with semicircles bulging out from each side of the entrance
wing. The latter part of the building contained three floors and was considerably lower
than the major wing, where the concert space and the movie theater below were housed.
The members of the audience were expected to arrive by car and enter the concert hall
under a cantilevered roof carried by straight pillars that was supposed to protect from
inclement weather. Tickets could be purchased in a specially designed space on the first
floor. The visitor would then proceed to the cloakrooms placed inside the semicircles,
whose very shape and organization were designed to facilitate an efficient decloaking and
a smooth flow toward the main vestibule preceding the concert hall. Originally, both a
restaurant and an outdoor cafe were intended for the audience, the former placed below
the cloakrooms and the latter on top of them on the roof. Eva Rudberg has pointed out
similarities between the larger auditorium and Alvar Aalto’s Finnish Theater (inaugurated
in 1928) in Åbo.
Because music consumption had become the main purpose, the acoustics became of
paramount importance. Although in 1929 Markelius visited the paradigmatic Salle Pleyel,
built in 1927 to house the Paris orchestra, he chose to retain the rectangular form of the
concert hall rather than copying Lyon’s irregular plan based on bisecting parabolas. Still,
Lyon was contracted to aid him in improving the acoustics in Hälsingborg. Even though
the acoustics turned out to be excellent, the rectangular plan was later criticized, as it was
regarded an unfortunate remnant of classical form. Therefore, the Hälsingborg Concert
Hall did not gain followers in its interior arrangements, and the concert hall that was
erected in Gothenburg had other inspirational sources.
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The exterior was highly acclaimed by the critics, with its stark, white concrete walls
enlivened by huge areas of glazing and the side buttressing necessary to support the roof
over the concert hall. In particular, the glazing of the entrance facade is a major feature,
intended to entice passersby into the building. From the outside one may follow the flow
of the entering welldressed audience until people vanish inside the concert space. This
spectacle was meant by the architect to create a living decorative effect, making any other
ornament superfluous. In other spaces, the glazing served the people inside the building,
as in the restaurant, where the opening of the wall offered a spectacular view over the sea.
Unfortunately, the dining room was felt to be discouragingly naked and simple and never
became a success. After only two years, this space was given over to the city library.
Despite this and other minor changes, the Hälsingborg Concert Hall has not seen much
alteration and is still considered a masterpiece of the functionalist era.