Sound travels
Opera music is famous because of its beauty and the way it uses the power of music to tell a story. Most performances are staged in opera houses, limiting access to those who live in those centres and who are not discouraged by the formal and traditional atmosphere. Architectural Studies student Nick Jones has designed a portable opera house that could take performances to the regions.
His opera house can be packed down into 12m long shipping containers for transportation. A grid system for the floor and walls facilitates set up on site, without needing a crane. The dimensions, shape and materials were chosen for optimal acoustics. Maple veneer lines the interior for both its beauty and resonant qualities, contributing with the furnishings to an atmosphere of elegance. It would accommodate an audience of 100. A waterproof tent is stretched above, creating in its eaves an outdoor space for audience members to mingle before and afterwards.
The opera house is like a musical instrument, packed carefully away after each performance, and brought out for another audience to share a magical experience that is both acoustically and visually stunning.