The Light of the North 音樂藝術中心 by Meng Zhao

The Light of the North 音樂藝術中心 by Meng Zhao is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 A' Design Award 銅獎 in 建築、樓宇及結構設計 Competition Category.

銅建築· 2026

The Light of the North 音樂藝術中心

by Meng Zhao

A' Design Award 銅獎 Winner in 建築 Category

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Colors

The Design

About The Light of the North 音樂藝術中心

「北方之光」係位於芬蘭賽納察洛嘅一座音樂藝術中心。建築物總樓面面積為2000平方米，內設一個音樂廳。設計沿用附近市政廳嘅建築語言，並為當地社區增添現代化功能。入口立面結合咗鏤空磚牆同玻璃幕牆，磚塊以多種變化嘅圖案砌成。彎曲嘅木質面板將牆身同天花連接起嚟，令自然光柔和地散射，同時提升音樂廳嘅聲學效果。中心服務對象包括兒童、長者同年輕居民。

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award 銅獎

The Light of the North 音樂藝術中心是 A' Design Award 銅獎得主，這是授予以創造力、獨創性和敏銳見長的傑出設計的極具聲望的認可。銅獎得主是技藝嫻熟、創意驚人的作品，印證了其設計師豐富的經驗、想像力與機智。預計The Light of the North 音樂藝術中心將成為一件備受推崇、令人欽佩且被珍愛的物品，兼具顯著的專業性與創新性。這件贏得 A' Design Award 銅獎的設計融入藝術、科學、設計和技術領域的最佳實踐，並因注重細節而出類拔萃。The Light of the North 音樂藝術中心出色地滿足需求，觸動渴望，迷住情感，並吸引好奇心。

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: The musical art center is a symbol of cultural revitalization. By paying homage to and integrating the design language of town hall-an iconic symbol of Finnish spirit-with modern functional needs, it respects tradition while injecting new social elements, promoting cultural revival and community development. The project draws inspiration from Finnish nature, using wood and red bricks to promote sustainability and create a warm, immersive space.
Dimensions & Packaging: Gross floor area: 2000 square meters, Project type: Musical Center & Concert Hall
Tags: art building, musical center, concert hall, musical art center, culture, landmark
Production Technology: The entrance facade combines perforated brick walls with glass curtain wall, while the bricks are arranged in varied rhythmic patterns to add visual depth and texture. Using of curved wooden panels to seamlessly blend the walls and ceiling, it contributes to a soft diffusion of natural light throughout the space that interacts with nature and maximizes environmental benefits. All-wood interior of the concert hall features a wooden panel forming a streamlined enclosure to optimize acoustics.
Design Challenge: The biggest challenge of the project is to integrate with the surrounding environment. For example, how to communicate and connect with the existing town hall servicing as a whole. The design needs to deeply consider the geometry, the appearance, the continuity of streamlines, the functional requirements of the township, and the application of local materials.
Research: Investigate and analyze the resident population size, age distribution, and proportional composition of Saynatsalo and the nearby major city, Jyvaskyla. Survey the functional zoning and spatial distribution of different areas. The findings reveal that 69.8% of the urban population aged 15-64 severely lacks open, public, nature-adjacent, and music-related activity spaces. Saynatsalo is ideally positioned to meet the rapidly growing demand for music spaces from the surrounding population.
Inspiration: This project responds to rural population decline and aging in a groundbreaking way. Located in Saynatsalo, it serves children, elderly people, and underprivileged young people, revitalizing the town's culture and social life. From Finnish nature, the concert hall is supplemented with the old town hall, creating an outstanding cultural space that attracts music lovers. The project creates a quality music environment with opportunities for exchange, stimulating the regional economy.
Project Duration: The project designed in 2024, Saynatsalo, Finland.
Operation Flow: The musical art center's space and circulation design optimizes functionality and aesthetics through a unification of fluid flow, judicious zoning, and balance to pay respect to Finnish cultural characteristics and modern requirements.
Image Credits: Image #1-5, Meng Zhao, 2024.