Building transformation at Kassel University

During the summer semester of 2021, Astrid Wuttke, a partner at schneider+schumacher, will be working with Prof. Philipp Oswalt at the University of Kassel supervising a project that concerns Frankfurt’s opera and theatre complex, entitled “Transforming Frankfurt’s Städtische Bühnen”. The collaboration came about through their joint activities on the State Council for the Preservation of Monuments, in which Astrid Wuttke has been an active representative of the Hessen Chamber of Architects since 2017. In 2019 Astrid Wuttke and Till Schneider were appointed by the City of Frankfurt to prepare a validation report on the future of the Städtische Bühnen, in collaboration with various experts.

This semester project forms part of the Master’s degree programme in architecture. Apart from reflecting on the spatial conditions required for contemporary theatre and opera productions, other crucial issues need to be addressed too, including how to integrate those elements of existing fabric that are worthy of retention, and the question of how to weave the entire complex into its urban context. We hope the resulting ideas will serve to augment the on-going public debate about building transformation at Willy-Brandt-Platz.

In November, Astrid Wuttke took part in a panel discussion with others entitled “Transforming a cultural icon?” This discussion can be heard in its entirety here.