Hill Auditorium: A Bridge Between Communities

Hill Auditorium, built from 1911-1913, was an important and grand landmark on the University of Michigan campus. According to Akshay Seth from the Michigan Daily, Hill auditorium was built to satisfy two main needs: “The finished hall had to be large enough to host the entire student body, and the acoustics of the auditorium had to be sufficiently developed so a single speaker’s unamplified voice would be audible to the entire audience” . Hill sits on the northern end of central campus near Burton Tower and the Michigan League and has hosted important events such as commencements and graduations for more than a century. Hill Auditorium was gifted by Regent of the university at the time, Arthur Hill who became very interested in the project in 1904. His interest was demonstrated by his gift of $200,000 written in his will for the construction of the auditorium. Hill was designed by renowned Detroit architect Albert Kahn who practiced and designed large-scale factories prior. Kahn was chosen for his concrete construction and acoustic designing techniques.

Albert Kahn, born in 1869, was a Detroit industrial architect who was brought onto the project due to his previous large-scale factory designs. Earlier in his career he worked on Detroit skyscrapers, office buildings, and mansions in the suburbs. He then later led an association of architects who then designed 19% of the architect-designed factories in the United states. His teachings of factory designs then spread worldwide and he became known for his industrial work. His design for Hill used reinforced concrete construction. The reinforced concrete developed by Kahn was important for the acoustics as it allowed sound to travel through the space unobstructed by wooden support beams. This also allowed the building to be large, and provided the stability to house a parabolic shaped interior hall that Kahn worked closely with acoustics engineer Hugh Tallant to create. Aside from the advanced acoustic capabilities of the hall, Kahn's design focused on efficiency, incorporated fluid natural lighting, and a developed ventilation system. Kahn has also designed many of the buildings on campus including Angell Hall, Burton Tower, Hatcher Library, and the Clements Library to name a few. 

Dynamic between Architect, Donor, and School

The start of the process to build Hill Auditorium occurred in 1898 when Professor Stanley brought attention to the fact that there was not an adequate space for performances at the University. The current performance space at the time was University Hall which was falling into disrepair and later demolished. That said, there was a struggle to receive funding from the state for a new performance space because they had already gifted University Hall in 1872. In 1904, Regent Arthur Hill became interested in the project and was later on convinced by the University of Musical Society president Francis Kelsey to fund the construction. Arthur Hill left 200,000 dollars in his will (equivalent to $6.5 Million today) for the construction of the Auditorium in 1909 where he wrote “The necessity of such a building has long been apparent, and possibilities are great. Yet there has been no hope that the state could furnish for a long time a building so necessary as an adequate assembly hall where all the students of the University, their friends and the faculty might meet.” Hill also wanted the building to be used in the community of Ann Arbor, not just the college. The original intention was to seat the entire university so events like graduation and commencement could be held without problems regarding space. 

What Events Happened in the Space?

Ever since opening day, Hill Auditorium has hosted a variety of events; most consisting of performances by University of Michigan students and well-acclaimed outside artists, as well as lectures and commemorative events. The annual May Festival Chorus was performed on opening night, May 13, 1913, with performances by “violinist Fritz Kreisler, the pianist and composer Ignacy Jan Paderewski and the soprano Lily Pons,” as well as the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Philadelphia Orchestra (Tobin). On November 5, 1962, as a part of the University of Michigan’s Annual Religious Lecture Series (sponsored by U-M Office of Religious Affairs), the Hill Auditorium hosted Martin Luther King Jr. (Williams). In addition to lectures like King’s, the Hill Auditorium is home to commencement events like Master and Doctoral Degree Commencements, as well as the recent President Ono’s Inauguration on March 7, 2023.

Why was it Designed the Way it was?

Prior to the Hill Auditorium, most performances were hosted at University Hall (located where Angell Hall is today). However, by the first May Festival in 1894, it quickly became clear there was a need for a new place to host such performances. During the design process, three conditions remained at top priority: it had to be “large enough to host the entire student body, the acoustics of the auditorium had to be sufficiently developed so a single speaker’s unamplified voice would be audible to the entire audience, and it had to be able to house the celebrated Columbian Organ” purchased in 1894 by University Musical Society and the president Francis Kelsey (Seth). 

The exterior of the building consists of four large columns surrounded by red brick, producing a grand, yet welcoming feeling, but the inside is where the magic happens. When one walks into the main space of the Hill Auditorium, they are greeted with a symmetry that “draws [the] eyes forward and then upward toward the focal point of the entire building — the stage — and, finally, the jaw-dropping glass ceiling” (Seth). This final interior design is shaped like a parabola, so that everyone in the audience experiences a similar volume and sound quality. In fact, Mark Clague, an associate professor of musicology, commented on the space, stating, “as a performer, the fact that you can hear this wave of applause coming back at you lets you establish a very satisfying communication between the stage and the audience” (Seth).

Changes in Use and Design

Almost 90 years after its opening on May 13, 1913, the Hill Auditorium began an extensive renovation and restoration on May 13, 2002. The original architects and partners returned to aid in this restoration. Albert Kahn Associates and Quinn Evans Architects worked together with Fisher Dachs (theater consultant), Gary Steffy Lighting Design, Kirkegaard Associates (who handled the acoustics and the audio and video designs) on the project. Most of the changes involved added new technologies such as, elevators, plumbing, HVAC, lighting, and catwalk systems,” all while remaining true to the original intention of producing magnificent sound quality (ONSITE). In fact, the firms enhanced the sound quality through “critical acoustical and audio modifications such as sound and light locks, acoustic treatments, and an in-house sound reinforcement system.” (ONSITE).

“A Historical Tour of the University of Michigan Campus.” Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan, https://bentley.umich.edu/legacy-support/campus_tour/hill.php. Accessed 24 October 2023.

ONSITE. “Fine Tuning: Hill Auditorium.” IS Design with Purpose, 27 September 2004, https://www.iands.design/industry-news/article/10180176/fine-tuning-hill-auditorium. Accessed 24 October 2023.

Seth, Akshay, and Daily Arts Writer. “100 years of Hill Auditorium.” The Michigan Daily, University of Michigan, 8 November 2012, https://www.michigandaily.com/uncategorized/11history-hill8/. Accessed 24 October 2023.

Tobin, James. “The May Festival Rising.” University of Michigan Heritage Project, University of Michigan, https://heritage.umich.edu/stories/the-may-festival-rising/. Accessed 24 October 2023.

Williams, Brian A. “Live as Brothers, or Die as Fools | Bentley Historical Library.” Bentley Historical Library, https://bentley.umich.edu/news-events/news/live-as-brothers-or-die-as-fools/. Accessed 24 October 2023.