Despite striking differences, Los Angeles and Berlin have many commonalities. Both have large, diverse populations and share a public perception that has been shaped by music and film. The most unexpected connection between them resides in two buildings for music performances–the Philharmonie in Berlin (1963) and Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles (2003). The key to this affinity is the architect Hans Scharoun (1893—1972), whose Philharmonie reinvented architecture from three archaic forms: the mountain, the cave, and the tent. In this lecture, Kurt W. Forster discusses how the Philharmonie reconfigures the very notion of a concert hall.