Hessian State Theatre

In order to sustain theatre production during renovation of the main auditorium, a provisional theatre was built in the space occupied by the multilane access to the basement car park. In 1972, Architect Rudolf Prange has conceived this sort of "driveintheatre" in lightweight concrete. Unless its location in the heart of the city, Prange designed a theatre that could be reached primarily by car. The large building stands helplessly among its surroundings without any spatial relationship. A new entrance building, which has been erected in 2005 in front of the existing theatre, now invites also pedestrians to visit the two auditoriums. Technical deficiencies required a general renovation of the State Theatre. Soon it became clear, that it was also necessary to find substitute halls for the auditoriums. The proposal by the direction of the theatre was to locate these halls in a different building or to pitch a large tent beside the old theatre. We proposed however, to install a provisional theatre in the basement car park being aware that even this solution has to be a "low cost project". But an undeniable advantage became evident: after the conclusion of the general renovation (at the end of 2006), this new space still can be used as a studio theatre. Illuminated glass block partitions are framing the entrance to this new arrangement. Involving the existing flight of stairs, we planned a bar on the old entresol. This area now is open to the new, twostoreyhigh foyer and is varnished in glaring red. For its illumination we installed three chandeliers made of pig iron an undoubtable part of the provisional concept. The new structure that we inserted into the former entrance to the underground car park, together with staircase and lifts, provides the theatre with an impressive entrance that relates it in one go to its urban context. We converted this modern concrete cruise liner into a performance venue that at last opens itself out to the city. On the planted area above the underground car park, an openair stage is to be built to enliven the square in front of it.