© Grafik: 2Portzamparc
The Philharmonie is set to undergo a €15 million expansion starting next month, aimed at enhancing its facilities for both public and educational uses, with completion expected by 2027.
Preparations for the expansion of the Philharmonie are set to kick off in a month's time, with the new building expected to be ready by 2027. The expansion has been planned for close to ten years, and those regularly working at the concert hall believe the request for more space to be well-founded.
206,000 visitors came to the Philharmonie in 2023. 180 people work in the concert hall, including 100 orchestral musicians and numerous technicians and administrators.
In conversation with RTL, Philharmonie director Stephan Gehmacher argued that there is a clear need for an additional building, further providing insights as to how this new space is to be used: "In particular, we will use this area very intensively during the day for school activities, for workshops, without having to simultaneously block the other rooms in the building, because we simply have a much higher occupancy rate than was originally planned."
The new building will also allow for an expansion of the existing backstage area, include an employees' cafeteria, and a restaurant able to accommodate around 100 visitors.
According to Gehmacher, one question was at the centre of planning efforts: "What must a house, what must a philharmonic hall, what must a theatre also offer in terms of amenities for the public, so to speak? And the answer is of course gastronomy and also the way in which people can use the building, perhaps coming to the Philharmonie straight from work, or how they can use the building after the concert, what allows them to stay there?
"There are completely different demands today than 25 years ago, and that's when the Philharmonie was planned. Of course, we will improve enormously in this area thanks to this extension", explained Gehmacher.
Same as the existing building, the new extension has been designed by architect Christian de Portzamparc. Project leader Martine Schmitt told our colleagues that an additional goal is to upgrade the Place de l'Europe at the Philharmonie's footsteps.
The restaurant will thus be directly accessible from the square to make it more public-friendly, much to the satisfaction of Gehmacher: "That was also part of the discussion, so to speak, and will certainly also be part of the discussion for the Bâtiment Schuman on the opposite side. To say, how can we revitalise this area of Kirchberg even more, even better. As much as the square is used by skaters, and we are pleased about that, it is not a square that is used as intensively as many others and we naturally want to contribute to that."
While preparatory efforts are scheduled to start in a month, the actual construction work is likely to commence in spring next year. No halt in activities inside the building is anticipated for the duration of the project. Estimated costs for the expansion are €15 million at present.
