Staatstheater Augsburg

After being commissioned for the refurbishment of the historic ‘Großes Haus’ (Main House) and for two new buildings at the Staatstheater Augsburg (Augsburg State Theater), HENN has now unveiled its design for the new ‘Kleines Haus’ (Small House).

Besides the comprehensive repair and refurbishment of the Grosses Haus (Large House), two new buildings will be constructed on the theater’s site by 2030: the Kleines Haus (Small House), which will include a stage for novel approaches to the performing arts, and a service building. HENN is taking over both project components in the ongoing planning phase.

The Grosses Haus with its monumental, Neo-Renaissance style façade will be flanked by a new building featuring an abstract design. Its triangular floor plan and clean, soaring form creates a deliberate contrast to the main building while also complementing it without overshadowing its presence within the urban fabric.

While the new design for the ‘Kleines Haus’ builds upon the approach originally pursued by the Achatz architectural firm, it also develops new ideas for how the Kleines Haus will be perceived from externally as well as from inside. The aim is to construct a future-proof cultural building that opens toward the city like a shop window to become a field of experimentation for creative artists, the urban community, and passersby alike.

On the outside, a semi-transparent glass façade wraps around the building like a theater curtain above its stone base. The façade’s curvilinear shapes are borrowed from the façade of the Grosses Haus and the theater hall’s ceiling to establish a link between the two distinctly different buildings. The façade consists of regionally sourced recycled glass whose transparency allows passersby to get a glimpse of the vibrant activity inside. At night, the Kleines Haus transforms into a cultural stage that glows from within.

The building’s interiors are designed to create a sense of spaciousness and openness. The entrance to the Kleines Haus is located in a connecting section between the two buildings. Passing through the entrance lobby featuring a generously designed café and bar as well as cloakrooms, visitors access the theater hall on the upper floors via a staircase while enjoying views across all levels.
“What is being created here is a building that embodies a democratic approach to theater. This new venue – state-of-the-art and iconic – will stand alongside Augsburg’s existing sites of cultural and historical significance and will have a lasting impact on the cityscape. The translucent façade reveals glimpses into the building, thus opening it up to the outside. In this way, the Kleines Haus becomes a ‘third place’ that fosters greater transparency and turns the theater into a place for discourse. The European vision of a theater for all is becoming a reality!” says Jürgen K. Enninger, Head of Augsburg’s Department of Culture.

The shell of the Kleines Haus’s basement has already been completed, while excavation work for the operations building is currently in progress. Renovation work on the existing Grosses Haus has been underway since 2019.