AVRO Studios, Broadcasting complex in Hilversum, Netherlands
AVRO Studios is a broadcasting complex in Hilversum featuring two main buildings connected by an underground passage, with Studio 2 located directly above Studio 1 on Melkpad street. The layout allows production teams to move between the two facilities without stepping outside.
Architects Benjamin Merkelbach and Charles Karsten built the studios between 1934 and 1940, following the principles of Neue Sachlichkeit, a movement emphasizing functional clarity. The buildings evolved into a center for Dutch radio and television production throughout the 20th century.
Studio 2 remains an active television production space, regularly hosting large-scale broadcasts that reach audiences across the Netherlands and beyond. The facilities preserve the functional layout shaped by early radio and television needs, showing how technical demands influenced the design.
The studios sit in a quiet residential area of Hilversum and are accessible by public transport or bicycle. Guided visits are offered during select periods, so checking online for current availability before planning a visit is helpful.
During construction in the 1930s, the architects used specialized acoustic techniques to optimize sound for radio recordings, which later proved advantageous for television production as well. The buildings are among the few surviving examples of Dutch modernism that remain actively used for media production today.
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