The designers of Fuuga draw inspiration from the surroundings of the music hall

Martin Lukasczyk and Satu Mattila of PES Architects are familiar with the construction site of the music hall. Amidst the construction noise and unfinished areas, they can already see the finished building in their minds. For them, the music hall is all about rhythm, light, shapes and harmony. The building will open in autumn 2026.

When asked about the themes that have influenced the design of the concert hall, the designers mention the zigzag-shaped window wall and the curved shapes of the walls. These elements, inspired by the Aura River, surround the impressive performance spaces and frame the views outside.

An open and accessible building

The Aura River has served as a design theme in two ways: the narrow, tall windows on the riverside create a dialogue between the interior and the city. On the other side, the curved wall structures of the building also symbolise the flow of the river. The designers call this undulating wall “a ceramic river”.

– The most important thing in the design of the building was to ensure, for example, that the public foyer had unobstructed views of the river and the city. Another important goal was to ensure that the people inside the music hall would be visible from the outside, says architect Martin Lukasczyk.

The aim was to make the music hall as open and accessible as possible.

– I really hope that the city's residents will see Fuuga as a complementary addition to the area, one that is carefully designed to fit in with Turku City Theatre, WAM Turku City Art Museum and the nearby government office building.

Lukasczyk has served as the architectural project manager and was primarily responsible for designing the concert hall. 

– The large concert hall is definitely the highlight of the whole project for me. I have also spent most of my working time designing the hall. I knew it would be great, but the result is even better than I ever dared to hope for," he says with a smile.

The chief designer of the music hall is Tuomas Silvennoinen. Silvennoinen is an experienced and distinguished architect, a senior partner at PES Architects and chairman of the board. In addition to Fuuga, his work can be seen in the Ferry Terminal Turku and the Turku Ratapiha Experience Centre.

The environment dictates choices

The designers emphasise that when designing public buildings, it is extremely important for the project to be rooted in the local culture. 

– The environment provides inspiration for the designer, which at Fuuga, of course, is related to the close connection that the music hall has with the nearby government office building and the theatre, says interior architect Satu Mattila.

In addition to the environment, history also influences the choice of building materials suitable for this particular building.

A few main materials were selected for the interior of Turku Music Hall Fuuga: earthy spruce wood for the concert hall, ceramic rods imitating the style of Kupittaa clay, and copper visible on the façade.

– The inspiration for the materials was sought from neighbouring buildings. Very neutral and durable materials, such as concrete and wood, were sought to complement them, Mattila explains.

The acoustics of the concert hall have been central to the design of Fuuga. The acoustic design of Fuuga has been carried out by leading international acoustic designers. The design is strongly based on the latest scientific knowledge. Akukon & Kahle Acoustics is responsible for the acoustic design.

The acoustics of Fuuga are linked to the architectural appearance of the concert hall. The concert hall is a so-called shoebox model, which has been modified into an oval shape. 

– Over the years, I have come to understand that you can 'read' the acoustics from the shape of the hall. The aim has been for the audience to be surrounded by music, which also means the vibrations caused by the music and shaped by design, which are made possible by the floor structure of the hall, explains Martin Lukasczyk.

The concert hall is soundproofed from external noise and vibrations. All sound coming from inside the music hall is also isolated.

Natural light also enters the large hall

Another thing that makes Fuuga's main concert hall special is that it has windows that open outwards. The light flooding in from above gives the hall a special character and tone. The curved shapes and surfaces of the interior wood panelling add warmth. The wall panelling is made of Finnish spruce, while the stage structure is made of pine. These wooden structures in the hall were produced by Raision Puusepät.

It is not difficult to see how pleased the architects are. Turku and its musicians are getting a wonderful concert hall. Satu Mattila has been responsible for the interior design and solutions related to the overall user experience.

– I have a background in music. For this reason, I have always emphasised that this is a workplace for musicians. The audience enjoys the facilities during concerts, but musicians spend a lot of time practising in their workspaces. That is why their functionality is extremely important. A happy musician is a good musician, she says with a laugh.

The music hall is being built by using an alliance model, which includes the City of Turku and Hartela, as well as PES-Arkkitehdit, WSP Finland and Laidun-design as subcontractors.
 

Turku Music Hall Fuuga