The Stunning Elbphilharmonie Is What Happens When Algorithms Design a Concert Hall | WIRED: "The 10,000 panels feature one million “cells”—little divots that look like someone used a seashell to carve out a chunk of material. These cells, which range anywhere from four to 16 centimeters across, are designed to shape sound within the auditorium. As Koren explains it, when sound waves hit a panel, the uneven surface either absorbs or scatters them. No two panels absorb or scatter sound waves alike, but together they create a balanced reverberation across the entire auditorium. This technique has been used for centuries (most famously with Vienna’s Musikverein, whose ornate, neoclassical detailing creates the same diffusion effect), but the Elbphilharmonie does it in an entirely new, visually arresting way.
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