How Walt Disney Concert Hall Was Designed To Have Pitch Perfect Acoustics | Architectural Digest

Today AD welcomes back architect Valery Augustin to tour Walt Disney Concert Hall in Downtown Los Angeles. Designed in 1987 by Frank Gehry, music runs through the veins of this building. A unique steel exterior houses an acoustically perfect auditorium designed by Yasuhisa Toyota and is home to the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra. Join Valery as he takes an in-depth look at how the concert hall pioneered new design techniques and became a true gift to the people of Los Angeles.
Visit Disney Concert Hall and The Music Center across social media at @musiccenterla
Director: Hiatt Woods
Director of Photography: Grant Bell
Editor: Alex Mechanik
Host: Valery Augustin
Producer: Skylar Economy
Line Producer: Joe Buscemi
Associate Producer: Josh Crowe
Production Manager: Peter Brunette
Production Coordinator: Kariesha Kidd
Audio Engineer: Will Miller
Production Assistant: Fernando Barajas
Post Production Supervisor: Andrew Montague
Post Production Coordinator: Holly Frew
Supervising Editor: Christina Mankellow
Assistant Editor: Andy Morell
Colorist: Oliver Eid
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[@jengirl2]

I love this man’s presentation style and voice. He’s great!!

[@johnbrown7172]

+++

[@gideonnartey_]

I agree. Properly articulate

[@davidvizcarra895]

Couldn’t agree more. Even the speed and rhythm.

[@joedee9811]

I admire his presentation skills and I envy his ability to rock a large bright scarf

[@john27609]

Presidential material!

[@brianolsen1588]

I’ve had the honor of performing in this hall, and this video does a wonderful justice to it

[@user-yi1mg3ur1x]

What instrument do you play

[@aliserobles8464]

Valery was my favorite professor at USC!!! I’m so glad he brings his knowledge and passion to the public. Well done!!

[@joshuab3715]

My father is a retired iron worker out of LA. He is very proud to have worked on this building.

[@sidbrun_]

I love this guy's presentation

[@NadiaGladys]

Woohooo! Way to go Uncle Val!!! ❤❤❤

[@musiccenterlosangeles]

Such a beautiful day! ✨✨ Thanks for coming to see us!

[@galaxy_mosaic3587]

that was really great content (super thorough) and I enjoyed the presentation by the architect. it felt informative yet also personable. I also had an opportunity to perform in the concern hall. although I cannot speak to the pitch perfect aspects, the acoustics are very fine. I could hear someone coughing in the audience (middle of the mezzanine) sounded like they were just a few feet away. I also love that rose fountain in the garden and was delighted to hear the story of its origin. thank you

[@jeffreychongsathien]

I always tell people "There are no bad seats at the Walt Disney Concert Hall" and "It's like the musicians are wired directly into your brain". Seeing Ellie Goulding and the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra here recently was a sonic feast.

[@ELMS]

Excellent presentation. Thank you!

[@Hoakaloa]

More than a decade ago when I was visiting my aunt who lived in the neighborhood I walked around and in this building. And it brought me to tears. The first contemporary building to do so.

[@sarahofer4368]

Thanks, Valery, that was a fabulous tour of a magnificent building.

[@thedeeprot]

love it

[@paulinedudley9656]

I love the walking tours! Also the Architectural Detail videos are so interesting and educational.

[@Dayvit78]

I'm very glad this architect took us inside. On many of the other episodes, they just show the outside. (The presentations are always fabulous, but you're missing half the design if you just look outside!)

[@claudiamann7111]

Thank you so much for sharing this fabulous video. An amazing amount of information and all the beautiful spaces. Hope I make it there to see this building.

[@milouhb]

It takes my breath away!😮 his presentation and the genious of the designer are amazing!❤

[@ar5984]

Wow what a cool human ! He’s so engaging and has such an incredible amount of knowledge and perspective that he covers soo seamlessly, loved this ! 🙌🏽💖

[@riceravens2]

This guy narrates so well. He doesn't feel the need to use the same two notes for his lecture.

[@tjjones33]

this building is such a treat

[@alexavarela5622]

Incredible space and video! 👏🏻👏🏻 so interesting

[@manymany5076]

phenomenal, Thank You!!!

[@johnbrown7172]

One of the greatest videos on your channel!!! Giga impressive and informative!!! Btw cameraman did much better then in previous videos lol

[@ShootItALBY]

Incredible 👏👏👏👏

[@user-hf8yv2sb1u]

Fantastic presentation. Incredible .

[@boidesignstudio28511]

It's one of my favorite buildings in architecture. It's a very elegant design and amazing!

[@duplessisart7478]

Absolutely beautiful

[@sfowler1017]

I loved this video. Valery did a phenomenal job presenting!

[@sebastiansnoer186]

Reminds me alot about the internal construction of the Danish National Symphony Orchestras concert hall.

[@creolelady182]

incredible PRESENTATION BY Mr. Augustin

[@franciscocontreras5276]

Fantastic presentation

[@blacklavoux]

That building is amazing

[@DocHoliday444]

incredibly beautiful!

[@irvansaugustin6480]

That was awesome

[@jarno1208]

I visited this in my California visit during 2012

[@AJsGreenThumbLLC]

I didn't catch it but was there an entrance fee?

[@riccardosabatini353]

In violin making, spruce (picea abies, picea armonica) is used for the upper soundboard and maple for the ribs and back. I'm not aware of the use of Douglas fir, perhaps they used it here for the wooden pipes of the organ.

[@MissouriMatt54]

Thank you for the video.

[@perryroobay]

most excellent. thank you.

[@Angela-pi6zc]

Interesting and beautiful presentation!

[@donnafuller3029]

WOW❤❤❤

[@cianaleemartin1031]

That looks so cool

[@kdm_entertainment]

Haha you can clearly see they told him to tell the french fries hunger joke. I like this guy though

[@jacksins3353]

For real, it was as clever ad.

[@Doitwithstyle719]

Amazing 🤩

[@TheRockinGinger]

I was going to say it's very similar to Guggenheim in Bilbao. Now I know 😀

[@mikem3789]

Valery knows (his stuff), seems to. 👏👏👏

[@nehemiahstewart]

Magnifico

[@AJsGreenThumbLLC]

Simply stunning architecture and the garden is the icing on the cake! That rose ribbon fountain is absolutely gorgeous!!! Just WOW!!

[@alightingartist]

Valery could read a nutrition label and it would be just as fascinating as listening to him explain architecture. He's awesome!

[@michaelforest7997]

We love Valery

[@bradybake]

He also has a building in Cleveland, and it looks amazing

[@jenn976]

I want to go hear a LA Phil. concert there with Dudamel conducting!

[@ja_pocitacove_hry_nehraji69]

veri nice

[@Fergus316]

Great presentation. A beautiful building. Not a fan of that carpet, but what do I know?

[@ezzymartin]

Luuuv it

[@Antinoustheartist]

It would be really cool if your channel did a breakdown on avatar the last Airbender architecture there’s a lot to unpack there

[@capricemadrid5353]

Gehry is the Nagel of architecture

[@luci4087]

3:55 Off topic but I love his outfit. I feel like it fits and matches the building. lol

[@belkidecom564]

👏

[@jrak]

One of the greatest buildings on earth .

[@greggybada]

was this the building that generated heat so much??? 😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@valentinlishkov9540]

Sheet Metal Segmental Elbows, Cones and other.

[@allythearts5439]

😮

[@ikb7375]

Guggenheim Bilbao isn't steel cladding its Titanium. The colors and light reflections are different and way better in my opinion.

[@kaileymo]

Suspiciously similar exterior to the Weisman Museum in Minneapolis

[@jcgpisces579]

Why would it be "suspiciously", since both building are designed by the same architect FRANK GEHRY.

[@kaileymo]

@@jcgpisces579 I meant that as a bit tongue in cheek. Sorry for the confusion~

[@jamesdellaneve9005]

The Simpsons did a funny bit on Gehry’s designs.

[@gatoooom_]

this is the same architect of the Guggenheim Bilbao and he copy and pasted again but to be the Walt Disney Concert Hall

[@joblesstess]

Reupload?

[@halamander]

All Angelinos

[@sherrymartini_]

Some videoclips are getting distorted, i wonder why it’s happening.

[@mrsg7113]

The guy reminds me of Captain holt but less tense and intimidating

[@shivakiranreddy6539]

take a shot for every time you hear clad

[@TalatKhan-ld2dr]

I want to ask u same thing about architecture

[@memeo1234567890]

“Incredibly unique” looks identical to a building we know .

[@carrieepurcell]

I wish I could use "sensuous curves" in a sentence and for it to feel natural.

[@jasonfallon4968]

George Costanza….

[@miguelc1186]

Since when are instruments in the violin family made with Douglass Fir? I mean it’s probably possible but it’s not native to southern Europe where the viol family of instruments emerged

[@riccardosabatini353]

Normally spruce (picea abies, picea armonica) is used for the upper soundboard and maple for the sides and back, I never heard about Douglas fir in violin making. But, who knows? Everything is possible...

[@bavete2679]

Danke bre hab 15 punkte bekommen.

[@kerryogrady3637]

A truly phenomenal building,unfortunately however,NOT a particularly phenomenal documentary,which considering the subject matter,is,somewhat ironically,phenomenal...

[@Youften]

carpet and seating cushion designs are the only things imo that i would get rid of. thats just me though, obviously for historical purposes it should still be preserved somehow, but they are the only element that feel very dated and cheap, while the rest is timeless and elegantly rich. in a way that makes me like it a bit, the audacity of doubling down on that design and covering the seating with it haha but nah, if it were me, it keep some of it for historical reasons and maybe frame a piece of it and get some more of that stone tile or another carpet.. idk interesting video nevertheless

[@christophercasey7388]

The building was to be a gift to the people of Los Angeles? Maybe, but only the rich ones.

[@nathanmailhot6923]

I saw a performance there for $12. That's cheaper than a movie.

[@davidjgill4902]

Acoustics can't be perfect. Acoustics can be excellent or ideal, but not perfect. Different halls with excellent or ideal acoustics can sound very different, but none of them can be called perfect.

[@davidjgill4902]

@@Purplegreen45 It's basic if you know anything about acoustics.

[@gridley]

The multiple rounded interior surfaces in this bldg's auditorium don't fit the simple shoebox design associated with the historically, acoustically great halls of the world. Such a format (requiring modern engineering software & fabrication) technically wasn't possible generations ago. Although the Great Pyramids of Egypt, etc, were admittedly built centuries ago.

[@RATsnak3]

A room that is "welcoming to all Angelinos" and "closed to everyone except doners who have given $185,000 or more" is classic California. Truly representative of liberalism in the United States.

[@MTGApollo]

This exists?!😂

[@Itsallabouttheperformance]

you were much better at presenting this

[@TalatKhan-ld2dr]

Bhai

[@willcookmakeup]

I do not like that carpet lol

[@TalatKhan-ld2dr]

Hi

[@igoryug4438]

first one

[@TheStockwell]

My heart goes out to your family and teachers. They were hoping you'd achieve more than this stupid "first" stuff. 😢

[@wakeupwith_morgan]

That carpet is hideous

[@TalatKhan-ld2dr]

Are u able in WhatsApp

[@jws1983]

A modernist monstrosity

[@csuchdrp5996]

Disney 🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢

[@MrProy33]

Ironic, considering how off-pitch Disney has become when it comes to their fans.

[@cesarc6044]

Its the ugliest building in DTLA, too bad I have to see it everytime I go there

[@uiscepreston]

And it's hideous, to boot.