Audimax, University lecture hall in Rotherbaum, Hamburg, Germany
The Audimax is a freestanding lecture hall in Rotherbaum, Hamburg, Germany, built from 1957 to 1959 to a design by Bernhard Hermkes. Its convex glass facade opens onto Von-Melle-Park, revealing a foyer and staircase with slender supports. A reinforced concrete dome in the form of a perfect spherical segment spans up to 65 metres, resting only on outer pillars. The hall seats 1,674 and can be divided by a retractable partition.
Architect Bernhard Hermkes designed the building for the University of Hamburg, opening in 1959. Construction took place during a period of postwar rebuilding and aimed to support the growing academic life of the city.
The hall takes its name from the Latin Auditorium Maximum and serves both lectures and concerts or film screenings outside term time. Students and visitors use the space for cultural events that connect academic life with public performances.
The hall sits on the University of Hamburg campus in the Rotherbaum district and follows an academic calendar during term time. Outside semester weeks, concerts and other public events often take place and are open to visitors.
During the 1970s and 1980s, international rock bands such as Van Halen, Black Sabbath and AC/DC performed here. B.B. King and Steve Hackett also gave concerts in this academic space, turning it into a key venue for Hamburg's music scene.
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