Temporary stage −
interim location

The opera and ballet divisions of the Württemberg State Theatres Stuttgart will be given a new temporary location in the future Rosenstein district of Stuttgart.

The area around the Wagenhallen, which has been renovated by the city, is already a vibrant space for art, culture and social interaction. Together with local stakeholders it is being developed into the Maker City district - a pilot project for cultural production, living and working. The so-called interim location of the State Theatres are the first construction phase of the new center of the Maker City together with the Kunstverein Wagenhallen.

What exactly is being built here? An opera and ballet company requires far more than the actual stage. It takes extensive production and rehearsal rooms, storage facilities, as well as rooms for technical services and administration to make the elaborate productions oft he State Theatres possible. All of these uses will be accommodated at the interim location. In addition, spaces will be provided to support a variety of different ways of living and housing.After moving out of the interim location of the Staatstheater, around 80 percent of the new buildings will continue to be used for cultural production, workshops, living and working. These uses are part of the urban planning design of Maker City.

What happens to the remaining 20 percent? The auditorium for around 1,200 people, the stage tower, which is over 30 meters high, and the foyer only make up around 20 percent of the new constructions. These buildings are designed as demountable structures and thus follow the principle of circular construction. They are planned in such a way that they can be reused at other locations.

Project status

The city of Stuttgart is currently preparing the development of the site. This is based on the results of the international urban planning competition Rosenstein from 2019.

With a resolution in May 2022, the district council commissioned the planning for the buildings of the interim location of the State Theatres as well as the Maker City.

In October 2022, the Europe-wide architectural competition was announced. There were a total of 20 entries. In June 2023, the design by a+r Architekten GmbH, Stuttgart, together with NL Architects, Amsterdam, Netherlands, came out on top.

In summer 2024, ProWST took over the project. The most relevant planners were assigned by fall 2024.

The project is currently in the preliminary planning stage.

According to the current draft schedule, the start of use is planned for 2033.

Space for creativity –
the new workshop building

The new workshop building is also built as part of the opera renovation. The decoration workshops of the Württemberg State Theatres will be located on the area of the former sugar factory in Bad Cannstatt, and will provide the best possible connection to the existing scenery warehouse building.

At the new location the workshops will be equipped according to modern technical standards. This will provide efficient workflows and ensure sustainable theater operations.

All stage design-related trades are brought together in the new workshops. This includes the painting room, where the large-format stage backdrops – the prospectuses – are created. These are first assembled from lengths of fabric in the sewing room. The are also the plastic and sculpture workshops and the decoration department, which work together with the carpentry, metalworking and paint shops on the three-dimensional stage structures.

All parts of a stage set can be put together in the assembly hall, which corresponds in size to the theater stage. It will be possible to produce a complete stage set with a test setup in the new decoration workshops, which is a decisive advantage for the quality and efficiency of production.

The relocation of the workshops reduces the amount of space required at the temporary location of the opera. Small workshop areas will still be available in the opera for short-term adjustments and modifications.The relocation of the decoration workshops to the new location will create the necessary space for a sustainable theater operation at Oberer Schlossgarten. An additional future goal is to integrate the state theater buildings next to the listed Littmann building better into the urban space.

Project status

In February 2023, the architectural office gmp International was commissioned by the Baden-Württemberg State Office for Property and Construction to carry out the project planning.

In May 2024, ProWST took over the project. The preliminary architectural planning of the decoration workshops should be completed in summer 2025.

According to the current draft schedule, the start of use is planned for 2031.

Preserving and thinking ahead –
the Littmann building

The magnificent Littmann building at the Oberer Schlossgarten is the heart of the Württemberg State Theatres Stuttgart. The historic building known as the “Opera House” as well as the adjacent administration building urgently need to be renovated, modernized and extended to make the State Theatres fit for the future.

The last refurbishment of the listed Littmann building was almost 40 years ago. At that time only the interior was reconstructed according to the historical condition and the so-called Böhm Pavilion was supplemented. The Littmann building should be preserved for future generations and at the same time integrated into the urban environment in a better way.

Without refurbishment the business is threatened with closure. The technical facilities are still from the 1980s and the working conditions for the approximately 1,400 employees no longer reflect today's standards - particularly in the workshops and in the stage and orchestra areas. Under the current conditions it would not be possible to re-approve these workplaces. Modernization is therefore unavoidable.

In addition to the urgently needed technical renovation the refurbishment is also intended to create more space for visitors and employees. The aim is to keep the Württemberg State Theatres attractive so that they can also reach a new, younger audience.

The implementation of this part of the project is closely linked to the temporary location in the future Rosenstein district of Stuttgart and the new workshop building on the area of the former sugar factory. Only when these two locations are operational can the refurbishment of the Oberer Schlossgarten begin.

Project status

Preparations are currently ongoing for the launch of an architectural competition. Both the requirements for modern operational processes and the urban planning specifications must be coordinated.

At the same time the state capital of Stuttgart is working on a new development plan in order to create the legal basis for the realization of the project.

According to the current draft schedule, the reopening after the renovation is planned for the beginning of the 40s.