Katowice is located in Silesia in Southern Poland and is one of the most important and prosperous economic centers of the country. It also is the home of the Polish architect’s office “Konior Studio” that created an architectural eye-catcher in the city with the design of the new concert hall.

An international competition was announced in 2008 to provide new and modern headquarters for the “National Symphony Orchestra of the Polish Radio” (NOSPR) in Katowice. The local “Konior Studio” convinced the jury with a concept based on the traditional architecture of the former mining town.

The concert hall’s architecture reflects the culture of the entire region: Brown exposed brick dominates the appearance and reminds of the once most important economic sector of the city, coal mining. Various structures, textures, materials and incidents of light inside the building create a unique atmosphere between musicians and music lovers.

There are more than 400 rooms for the musicians, from rehearsal rooms to changing rooms and a canteen. Starck 3 toilets and Vero washbasins provide comfort in the public restrooms. The building’s central core is an anthracite gray concert hall, which acts like an instrument because of its soft shape. The special, almost stadium-like arrangement of the seats creates a unique and almost intimate atmosphere between musicians and concert-goers.