The University of the Andes in Bogotá, Colombia, has officially opened a groundbreaking new music practice facility that seamlessly blends architectural innovation with acoustic excellence. The 750-square-meter building, known as "The Music Box," was designed by three alumni architects - Carolina Jaimes, Juan Esteban López, and Alejandro Puentes - who won a competition specifically for graduates under 40 years old in 2017.
The project represents a unique collaboration between the Faculty of Architecture and the Department of Music, addressing the dual challenge of providing specialized musical practice spaces while preserving the campus's historic character. Two-thirds of the building sits underground, a design choice that serves both acoustic purposes and maintains clear sightlines to the eastern hills surrounding Bogotá. The structure creates a subtle connection between the Faculty of Architecture and the Campito de San José, an old pavilion that serves as a cultural and artistic hub for the university.
The building's distinctive design features exposed concrete construction with a central void that breaks through the compact volume, introducing natural light to lower levels while functioning as a performance and rehearsal space. "We wanted to connect the campus, but in an almost silent way," explained architect Alejandro Puentes. The structure employs a sophisticated box-in-a-box acoustic system, developed in collaboration with Miami-based acoustic firm WSDG and Colombian engineer Daniel Duplat, ensuring complete sound isolation between practice rooms.
The facility's three-level program responds to different acoustic intensities, with lower floors housing specialized rehearsal and recording rooms, while upper levels contain circulation areas, control rooms, and common spaces designed to promote interaction between musicians and architecture students. The central void operates as a resonance chamber, creating a dynamic atmosphere that changes throughout the day based on activities and natural light patterns.
Structurally, the building is supported by two massive concrete beams that completely free the lower level from columns, creating uninterrupted glass surfaces and visual continuity. "There is not a single vertical frame. It's all continuous glass," noted architect Juan Esteban López. This engineering feat allows for maximum flexibility in the rehearsal spaces while maintaining the acoustic integrity essential for musical practice.
The material palette establishes a compelling dialogue between opposites - cold concrete and warm wood, opacity and transparency, heaviness and lightness. Interior surfaces feature artisanal precision with angled panels, hidden frames, and invisible joints that prevent unwanted reverberations. Clear wood finishes absorb and soften sound, transforming each room into its own acoustic microclimate, while natural light filtered through the central void reveals the wood's texture with ever-changing nuances.
Externally, the building takes on a landscape role with its grayish concrete blending harmoniously with Bogotá's sky. Green roofs and rain gardens featuring native species extend the campus topography, while pedestrian pathways adapt to the natural slope, connecting different areas without disrupting the site's character. "The building acts as a silence between the heritage brick and the orange of the neighboring buildings," described López.
Since opening in September 2024, The Music Box has become an integral part of university life, with students and faculty naturally adopting the nickname in daily conversation. The project holds deep symbolic meaning for its creators, representing what Puentes calls "our axis mundi, a center of professional practice, a place of reference." For all three architects, the opportunity to contribute to their alma mater's architectural legacy was both an honor and a responsibility.
Looking toward the future, the architects envision the concrete developing a natural patina over time while vegetation gradually embraces the structure, further integrating it into the landscape. "It can be a very interesting building in 10, 15, or 20 years," anticipates architect Carolina Jaimes. The Music Box stands as more than just a functional facility - it represents a sonic pause within the urban fabric, a contained resonance that thoughtfully connects memory, materiality, and landscape in service of musical education and artistic expression.
