Queen Elisabeth Hall

The Queen Elisabeth Hall in Antwerp underwent a drastic transformation and reopened its doors in 2017.

Client: KMDA – Koninklijke Maatschappij voor Dierkunde van Antwerpen vzw
Location: Antwerp
Period: 2011 – 2017
Partners: SimpsonHaugh Architects (UK)
Services: technical equipment for buildings and follow-up of the works
Disciplines: HVAC, electricity, sanitary installations, fire protection, kitchen and elevators

Elisabeth Center Antwerp: A Cultural Landmark

With international appeal in terms of versatility and acoustics, this location has been reestablished as a cultural landmark. Sweco also contributed to this unique project: the Elisabeth Center Antwerp.

The prestigious Queen Elisabeth Hall, located near the Zoo and Antwerp Central Station, was originally converted from a ballroom into a concert hall in 1960. Over time, the hall became outdated and scored barely 6 out of 10 in terms of acoustics. In 2011, a decisive choice was made for a completely new construction project: the Elisabeth Center Antwerp, fully integrated with the surrounding protected buildings. The concert hall became the crown jewel of the brand-new congress centre, which was named the Flanders Meeting & Convention Center Antwerp.

The final result is a stately and flexible building designed by the British architectural firm SimpsonHaugh. The multifunctional concert hall can be quickly transformed to accommodate various genres, including classical concerts, musicals, and congress meetings. Depending on the type of event, the seating capacity varies between 1,850 and 2,020 seats. With an acoustic score of 9.3/10, the Elisabeth Hall is among the absolute world leaders in acoustics. This achievement was made possible through collaboration with the renowned Kirkegaard Associates (USA).

The Antwerp Symphony Orchestra and Queen Elisabeth Hall

The Antwerp Symphony Orchestra, formerly known as deFilharmonie, is Flanders’ symphonic orchestra, with the new Queen Elisabeth Hall as its home base. This allows the orchestra to build an international career while making the concert hall the ultimate venue for experiencing symphonic concerts under ideal conditions.

State-of-the-Art Facilities and Technical Provisions

The congress centre is equipped with the latest facilities and technical provisions, with special attention given to rational energy use. Sweco was responsible for the design of the technical installations and the supervision of the work related to HVAC, electricity, sanitary systems, fire safety, and elevators.

A large industrial kitchen was installed in the building’s basement to provide catering services for the congress halls. Sweco also designed and supervised the technical installations for this facility.

Interesting Facts About Elisabeth Center Antwerp

The hall is shaped like a shoebox, which ensures optimal sound resonance. Additionally, movable (and removable) ceiling panels were installed to direct the sound when necessary. The oak wall panels further contribute to the ideal acoustics. The space between these sound panels and the concrete walls was filled with lava sand to prevent vibrations.

When designing the HVAC installations for the concert and congress halls, optimizing energy consumption for climate control in large spaces was a key objective. Heating and cooling are provided by four-pipe heat pumps that can simultaneously heat and cool. The fans of the air handling units are frequency-controlled, allowing the airflow to be adjusted based on demand. The air handling units are equipped with heat exchangers and recycling systems to quickly bring the hall to the desired temperature. During the mid-season, free cooling is applied whenever the outdoor temperature permits.

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