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A day for blueprints and beyond
Today's image features the Elbphilharmonie on the Grasbrook peninsula of the Elbe River in Hamburg, Germany. Designed by the Swiss architecture firm Herzog & de Meuron, this concert hall is a modern architectural marvel perched atop an old brick warehouse from 1963. A centrepiece of the new Hafencity development, it's Hamburg's tallest inhabited building—there are 45 luxury apartments on the upper floors—reaching a height of 107 metres. The Elbphilharmonie features three concert venues: the Great Concert Hall, with vineyard-style seating for 2,100, and acoustics designed by renowned Japanese acoustician Yasuhisa Toyota; the Recital Hall, accommodating 550 for recitals, chamber music and jazz; and the Kaistudio, a 170-seat space for educational activities. This fusion of history and innovation at the Elbphilharmonie offers a glimpse into thoughtful and creative architecture.