Library. Lecture Room

Designed 1927, built 1930-35. Destroyed World War II.; Alvar Aalto (1898- ); Alvar Aaalto. Editions Girsberger (Zurich:1963) 56. For other photos; and plans, see pp. 44-61.; (over); "What light is for a library, acoustics are for a lecture room. The lecture room served not only for speeches and lectures, but was also very often used for meetings and discussion evenings, so that the acoustics could not be solely designed on the basis of public lectures. The undulating ceiling of thin wooden strips was so designed that every point in the room was acoustically "alive." The reflections from the ceiling were planned so that the sound waves would be distributed as far as possible from the speaker, no matter where he stood in the room or along its periphery. With this acoustical system, an especially intimate atmosphere for discussion was achieved."