Diller Scofidio + Renfro selected to design new London Centre for Music

Diller Scofidio + Renfro were announced this morning to lead the design team for the new Centre for Music in the City of London which will become the permanent home for the London Symphony Orchestra. 

The architects will now work in collaboration with UK-based firm Sheppard Robson to develop a concept design that will accommodate a world-class concert hall as well spaces for training, education, discovery, and commercial areas.

DS+R and Sheppard Robson were selected from a shortlist of architects, announced earlier this year, that also included other well known firms like Gehry Partners, Snøhetta, Renzo Piano Building Workshop, Foster + Partners, and AL_A with Diamond Schmitt Architects. 

The commissioned team will work in close partnership with design and engineering experts in their respective fields, comprising Nagata Acoustics (acoustician), Charcoalblue (theater consultant), BuroHappold (civil and structural engineer, building services engineers), and AECOM (cost consultant).

The Centre for Music project is backed by £2.5 million (about $3.2 million) in funding from the City of London Corporation and spearheaded by the Barbican, London Symphony Orchestra, and Guildhall School of Music & Drama.

The concept design is expected to be submitted to the City of London Corporation for review by December 2018 as part of a detailed business case for the center.