Shigeru Ban has unveiled plans for a new timber concert hall in Altdorf, in Switzerland’s Canton of Uri, an intimate cultural venue set to transform a historic 19thcentury armory into a contemporary architectural and acoustic landmark. Commissioned through an initiative led by Andreas Haefliger, Director of Artistic Projects at Zauberklang, founded to bring worldclass artists to the Swiss Alps, Zauberklang has become a significant cultural platform in the region.
The project will see Shigeru Ban reinterpret the listed historic structure while preserving its protected exterior shell. Inside, the architect proposes a fully timber concert hall seating approximately 200-250 guests, designed to create exceptional acoustic intimacy and direct proximity between performers and audience.
Conceived as a beacon of the arts in the Alps, the Concert Hall in the Zeughaus, Altdorf, will be an intimate space created for worldclass artists and audiences. Zauberklang is excited to collaborate with Shigeru Ban Architects on this project, uniting architectural imagination with artistic vision.
Renowned globally for his pioneering work in wood construction and humanitarian architecture, Ban brings his signature material sensitivity and sculptural spatial language to the Swiss Alps. The design inserts a fluid, organically shaped timber volume within the existing masonry envelope, a contemporary architectural gesture that contrasts yet respects the historic fabric.
“The significance of a project has nothing to do with its size,” Ban noted in response to taking on the comparatively modest scale commission. Fascinated by Altdorf’s cultural legacy, particularly its association with the William Tell legend, Ban described the context as “highly compelling” for architectural intervention.
The proposed hall will be conceived not only as a performance venue but also as an educational platform. A partnership with the Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University will bring international music students to Uri, further positioning the project as a cross cultural hub linking Switzerland, Japan, and the United States.
With estimated construction costs of CHF 45 million, the project will be privately financed, with support from cultural foundations and regional stakeholders. The completion date is yet to be confirmed. The hall is set to become a significant addition to Switzerland’s contemporary architectural and cultural landscape.
