A distinctive amber-coloured music venue, envisioned as a new landmark for Latvia, has opened in the medieval port city of Liepaja.

The Great Amber Concert Hall features a glowing facade, which illuminates a distinctive reddish hue when night falls.

The asymmetrical design by Austrian architect Volker Giencke was commissioned following an international competition in 2003. The concert hall is intended to provide a fresh cultural and social focal point for the city, which is best known as a hub of industry and trade on the coast of the Baltic Sea.

The hall’s main auditorium, which seats over 1,000 people, will provide a home for the acclaimed Liepaja Symphony Orchestra and visiting performers. A smaller chamber music hall accommodates smaller performances.

The 16,500sq m (177,600sq ft), cone-shaped structure also contains rehearsal and exhibition space, a cafe and bars. The entrance area, accessed via a pedestrian plaza, can be used for public functions and performances.

Giencke partnered on the project with German acoustics specialists Muller-BBM and Austrian lighting design studio Bartenbach.