THE AMPHITHEATRE

The amphitheatre is situated immediately in front the Concert Hall’s central entrance area. The forecourt runs parallel to the building and everyone converges at the main entrance, including those arriving by bus or on foot along the quayside. Those arriving by car to the Concert Hall’s parking facilities will enter through openings in the amphitheatre.

The amphitheatre has steps, ramps and ledges for sitting or walking on. The materials used are concrete, natural rock and wood. The amphitheatre’s extension, its protected position and the view directly out to sea make it a unique location in Stavanger. It is also a place that people can seek out and feel like they belong to, an attractive social space that encourages use, also in the daytime outside scheduled performances. Here, people can experience the Concert Hall close up through the transparent façade that gives the building an inviting presence.

The amphitheatre as an art project
The committee has chosen to designate the whole area leading up to the Concert Hall entrance as an open site for artists to situate their projects. An art project associated with the amphitheatre needs to start from the intentions and social structures of the site and enhance them. It needs to be able to enter into a dialogue with the site, to be inviting, inclusive and challenging, and encourage participation in various ways. At the same time, the work should have a high degree of integrity and add a distinctive dimension to the setting of the Concert Hall.