Mozart Hall,
Katsushika Symphony Hills

Aug. 27,2024

Theater / Hall

Before

Project Description

First major renovation at Katsushika Symphony Hills since its opening

Since its opening in 1992, Katsushika Symphony Hills, the cultural center of Tokyo's Katsushika Ward, has been used by many residents as the ward's representative cultural exchange center. As the building has deteriorated noticeably over time due to years of use, a decision was made to undertake a major renovation. The building was reopened in October 2021.

When the hall's specified ceiling was renovated, it was necessary to remove the seats in the auditorium, and the seating repair project proceeded accordingly. Since the seats delivered when the hall was opened were made by Quinette Gallay of France, now a member of the Kotobuki Seating Group, we were in charge of the renewal. The hall has two types of curtain. The Western-style curtains, inspired by original paintings by world-renowned artist Hundertwasser, are supplied by ArtPlace, another group company.

A seat born in France that continues to be carefully used while undergoing repairs

The Mozart Hall is a shoebox-shaped hall with a high ceiling that provides rich reverberation. While its main purpose is for classical concert performances such as orchestras, it can easily be used for performing arts activities that focus on sound, such as musicals, dancing, and plays, and boasts one of the best acoustic performances in Japan. In addition to two tiers of seating facing the stage, there are balconies on the left and right walls, with a total seating capacity of 1,318.

The Quinette Gallay seat creates a prestigious seating space reminiscent of a European theater with its characteristic backrest that gently extends from the waist to the back of a seated person and the dots on the underside of the seat. The 3D cushioning of the backrest and the deep seat provide a comfortable, fully enveloping seating feel. A single leg placed at the center under the seat provides a clean look and more legroom.

Renewal for long-lasting use while maintaining the existing image

For the renewal, the solid wood parts used for the backrest, seat bottom panel, and arm frames were sanded, carefully mended, and recoated.

The upholstery is in a rococo style in harmony with the impressive exterior and elegant interior of the hall, with curves expressing the flow of the river in Katsushika Ward and the sound waves that fill the hall, and a motif of the ward's symbolic flower iris. It was produced by FABRIKO, a group company of Kotobuki Seating. The seat has been re-padded with polyurethane, and the seat has been restored for a comfortable fit. Other mechanical parts, foot lights, and number plates were replaced with new ones.

Existing parts are carefully reused, while upholstery and other areas that have deteriorated over time are updated while carefully inheriting the image the hall has built up, resulting in a hall that is a fusion of the past and the new era.

Facility Overview

Opened in 1992, Katsushika Symphony Hills is a cultural complex consisting of a 1,318-seat Mozart Hall and a 298-seat Iris Hall, along with a main building with gallery, cafeteria, and other functions, and an annex with conference and audio-visual rooms. The Mozart Memorial Statue in front of the main building is a replica of the life-size statue erected in the Burggarten Vienna Royal Garden, which is the only such statue in the world for which Katsushika Ward has received permission from the Republic of Austria, and is the symbol of Katsushika Symphony Hills. The two halls, which have been used for many years, reopened in October 2021 after renovations to the ceilings, seating, and lighting.