A Wooden Treasure Box for Music:
Project Facts
- Project: Casals Forum
- Location: Kronberg, Germany
- Year of completion: 2022
- Client: Kronberg Academy Foundation, Kronberg, Germany
- Architects: Staab Architekten, Berlin, Germany
- Surfaces: Knauf Design, Wolpertshausen, Germany
- Acoustic consultant: Martijn Vercammen, Peutz Group, Düsseldorf, Germany
A concert hall like a wooden treasure box: With the Casals Forum in Kronberg (Taunus), not only has a new center for chamber music been created, but also a strong architectural statement. Realized with oak veneers from Danzer, the Casals Forum unites sound, architecture, and materiality—creating an unforgettable cultural and artistic experience.
The design by Staab Architekten from Berlin combines transparency with organic form. The pavilion-like building structure houses a central concert hall, which architect Prof. Volker Staab describes as a “wooden treasure box.” Characteristic features include gently curved convex and concave wall surfaces clad in oak veneer. These surfaces distribute sound evenly throughout the space while defining its architectural expression.
Wood Enhances the Musical Experience
For the concert hall interiors, the Kronberg Academy Foundation selected a gypsum fiberboard panel veneered with real wood from surface specialist Knauf Design. The panels of the “Oak Select” type combine acoustic performance with sound insulation and fire protection. For the matching face and backer veneers, Knauf Design commissioned its long-standing partner Danzer.
“Working with real wood means creating an experience,” says Gertraud Storz, Director Specification Sales at Danzer. “Our goal is to create spaces that inspire visually and resonate emotionally.”
From Veneer Strips to a Coherent Overall Concept
For walls, ceilings, and balustrades, Danzer supplied customized veneers: approximately 4,500 square meters of face veneers and 3,500 square meters of backer veneers made from European oak. Hand-selected for Knauf Design’s real wood collection, the veneer surfaces feature a calm, plank-like appearance.
“Veneer is usually supplied in narrow strips,” explains Mario Reiß, project manager at Danzer’s Raspenava site in the Czech Republic. “For the Casals Forum, we joined the veneers into project-specific raw formats—and delivered them cut to size.”
Form Shapes Acoustic Quality
To achieve perfect acoustics, the project partners collaborated with acoustic consultant Martijn Vercammen, who also optimized the acoustics of the Berlin State Opera. Movable wall panels—so-called ‘rotating wings’—allow the hall’s acoustics to be flexibly adjusted, from intimate solo performances to larger chamber orchestras.
The panels, veneered on both sides with oak, feature one smooth and one perforated surface. Depending on the orientation of the wings, the room’s acoustic character changes.
Prof. Volker Staab, founder of Staab Architekten, explains: “Our collaboration with Danzer was characterized by intensive, iterative exchange. Since spatial perception and acoustics depend heavily on the wood surfaces used, it is essential that the partner can respond flexibly to design and technical adjustments.”
Precision Work for Visual Harmony
One of the greatest challenges was selecting visually homogeneous veneers: “In the midst of the COVID pandemic, we had to choose veneers from different production batches and logs,” says Mario Reiß, Danzer Sales Manager Spliced Faces Europe. “Matching the veneers visually and in terms of color was crucial to achieving a consistent appearance throughout the entire space.”
Gertraud Storz adds: “Wood is a natural product. Yet our customers expect the veneers to match the sample. Thanks to our network and expertise, we were able to meet this expectation.”
Spaces That Move People
The result of this inspiring collaboration is a concert hall that makes music not only audible, but tangible. “The project impressively demonstrates what wood can achieve,” says Mario Reiß. “It’s not just about design—it’s about atmosphere: warmth, haptics, comfort. Even in a large space, an intimate musical experience emerges.”
Prof. Volker Staab adds: “The wood surfaces create a warm yet refined atmosphere. The convex and concave wall panels contribute to optimal sound diffusion, resulting in a space that is convincing both acoustically and visually.”
A Timeless Connection: Wood Meets Sound
With the Casals Forum, the Kronberg Academy Foundation continues a long tradition: the combination of wood surfaces and classical music. “Wood has been used in instrument making and concert halls for centuries,” says Prof. Volker Staab. “Its natural grain and warm color create a sense of comfort. In addition, wood reflects and scatters sound in a way that makes it warm, full, and vibrant.”
The Casals Forum project once again demonstrates Danzer’s material expertise and collaborative approach. Gertraud Storz sums it up: “Our goal is to find the right wood for every application. In the end, it’s about bringing the client’s vision to life—together.”
