David Geffen Hall

David Geffen Hall sits within Lincoln Center on Manhattan's Upper West Side, home to the New York Philharmonic. Reopened in 2022 after a $550 million transformation, the hall was reimagined by two firms working in tandem: Diamond Schmitt Architects redesigned the auditorium itself, pulling the stage forward by 25 feet and wrapping seating around the performers on all sides, while wood paneling — anchored over plaster and concrete masonry — wraps the room to warm both the acoustics and the atmosphere.

Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects handled the public spaces, doubling the size of the lobby and reworking it into what they call a "cultural living room" — an open, welcoming lounge with serpentine couches, colorful upholstery, and a large video wall that streams live performances out to the street. Together, the two interventions turned a once-cold, acoustically troubled hall into one of the most intimate and porous concert venues in the city, opening two years ahead of schedule and drawing the public in rather than holding them at a distance.