Walt Disney Concert Hall is Frank Gehry's masterpiece — a 2,265-seat concert hall wrapped in swooping curves of stainless steel that has been the home of the Los Angeles Philharmonic since 2003 and is the most architecturally significant building in LA. The exterior — billowing panels of brushed steel that catch the California light and reflect the surrounding cityscape in distorted, liquid patterns — is as much a sculpture as a building, and walking around it (the exterior garden on the south side is free and open to the public) reveals new forms and reflections at every angle.
The interior, designed with acoustician Yasuhisa Toyota, is considered one of the finest concert halls in the world — a wood-paneled, vineyard-style auditorium where the audience surrounds the orchestra on all sides and the curved ceiling directs sound with a clarity that conductors and musicians consistently praise. The hall is home to Gustavo Dudamel, the Venezuelan conductor who has been music director of the LA Phil since 2009 and has made the institution one of the most dynamic orchestras in the world.
The building cost $274 million (funded by a $50 million gift from Lillian Disney, Walt's widow, plus extensive fundraising) and was controversial during its 16-year gestation — Gehry's original design was modified multiple times, and the reflective steel panels initially concentrated sunlight onto neighbouring buildings and sidewalks (the panels were later dulled to reduce glare). Guided tours of the building run daily and provide access to the auditorium, backstage areas, and the rooftop garden designed by Gehry with a broken-tile mosaic by Lily Tomlin.
Verified Facts
Walt Disney Concert Hall was designed by Frank Gehry and opened in 2003
The hall seats 2,265 and is home to the LA Philharmonic
Gustavo Dudamel has been music director since 2009
The project was initiated by a $50 million gift from Lillian Disney
Get walking directions
111 S Grand Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90012
