Volkstheater Munich: Curtain up

It feels like a new cultural venue is opening in Munich every week. This is partly due to the Schwere Reiter venue for dance, theater and music, the Isarphilharmonie concert hall and especially the Volkstheater München. While the first two venues are temporary, the Volkstheater has finally been able to leave its temporary home and move into the most modern theater building in Germany. LRO Lederer Ragnarsdóttir Oei is responsible for the architecture. Read more about the new architectural protagonist of the Schlachthof district here.

Founded in 1983, the Münchner Volkstheater temporarily moved into a 1950s multi-purpose hall in the Haus des Sports in Maxvorstadt. Now, in June 2021, the final curtain fell on Brienner Straße. From October 15, the Volkstheater, the team around artistic director Christian Stückl, will be playing in the Schlachthofviertel. More precisely, in the old cattle yard, directly opposite the slaughterhouse.

The architects from LRO Lederer Ragnarsdóttir Oei in Stuttgart won the Europe-wide tender put out by the city of Munich for the new Volkstheater building. As the general contractor, construction company Georg Reisch contractually undertook to hand over the new building to the Volkstheater München on a turnkey basis at the agreed time and at the agreed fixed price – around 131 million euros.

The Volkstheater München forms the focal point on an area of almost 18,000 square meters. In the north, it integrates an existing listed building as a wing. The Munich Volkstheater reflects the history of the location. To the west, the ensemble borders almost directly on the densely built-up neighborhood. In addition, a new quarter with 600 residential buildings, infrastructure facilities including concepts for education and culture is being built around the Volkstheater München to the east and south on the approximately 50-hectare site of the old cattle yard.

The brick façade of the new Volkstheater blends naturally into the Schlachthofviertel inner city district. The shape, layout and staggered heights of the building are the result of its function. The building’s technical installations are set back above the ground and upper floors. They are encased in a white folded lattice construction. The stage tower towers above the entire building. Its shell consists of a semi-transparent membrane – inspired by a woman’s stocking, according to architect Arno Lederer. In the sun, the relief of the stage tower’s substructure can be seen in the play of shadows. When the sky is gray, however, it blends in with it.

The listed old building closes off the site on the north side. In place of the former cattle dealer’s offices, it now houses the director’s office, artistic management with dramaturgy, artists’ apartments and a daycare center. The architects from LRO Lederer Ragnarsdóttir Oei made a conscious decision to leave the construction and structure of the former cattle yard visible on the inner façade of the narrow building block. Visitors to the theater are thus confronted with the history of the site when they enter the inner courtyard through the large archway. The arch connects the old and new buildings.

The paved courtyard is divided into two parts: At the front, you approach the main entrance, which is both a vestibule and a roof terrace. The rear part of the courtyard provides space for the theater restaurant’s outdoor dining area. A young tree adds greenery to the STEIN surroundings. Luminaires by Herzog & de Meuron span the square.

The walls in the foyer are painted yellow, green or red. The dark blue ceiling looks like the sky at night thanks to spotlights. The long concrete bar was cast in one piece. The natural-colored wooden floor balances everything out. Visitors will recognize the staircase from the old theater: Its elliptical floor plan and rectangular wall lights are a quote from the staircase in Brienner Strasse.

The focal point of the Volkstheater is of course the large main hall: as in the old Volkstheater Munich, it can seat around 600 spectators. When covered, the orchestra pit can also be used as a small stage or for additional seating if required. The main stage behind it is located in the 30-metre-high tower – it is literally the focal point. Stage sets can be moved from above, below, behind and to the right for quick set changes. There is also a revolving stage with a diameter of 15 meters.

All plans: © LRO Lederer Ragnarsdóttir Oei

While rooms such as make-up, props and the costume department are located on the second floor, workshops such as the carpentry and locksmith’s shop are located at street level. Full-size stage sets can be built here, but also transported onwards, as the rooms and passageways are correspondingly high. Work steps can therefore be seamlessly interlinked. This allows the Volkstheater München to rehearse with the finished stage set next to the main stage.

In addition to the main auditorium, there are also other venues at the Volkstheater München. Thanks to an integrated drawer system for the seating, a middle hall has space for around 200 seated or 400 standing. The stage can also be set up variably in the room. Concave walls ensure optimum acoustics. A small hall offers space for around 100 people. The rehearsal room can also be used for performances, which is why it is located directly next to the foyer.

You can find the full article and more pictures of the Volkstheater in the October issue B10, Kulturbauten.

As mentioned at the beginning, two other venues in Munich also opened this late summer/autumn. The Schwere Reiter by Mahlknecht Herrle Architekten invites you to Munich’s creative quarter. And the Isarphilharmonie concert hall by architects von Gerkan, Marg and Partners provides a stage to replace the “Gasteig”, which is now being renovated.