State Theater “Kleines Haus”

The “Kleines Haus” project marked the Dresden office’s first participation in an engineering competition and was a great challenge. With a hall for 400 people, a foyer, a stage house, rehearsal stages, and a food service area, it was the largest public project the Free State of Saxony had to award at that time. The task itself was comprehensive and included not only demolition, renovation, and remodeling but also expansions. The goal of the competition was to identify the best technical solutions for preserving the valuable existing structure. For such complex and sensitive projects, this was a smart way to think creatively and boldly in new dimensions.

First, the possible renovation options were examined and evaluated. Only in the second step was the specific structural concept developed. The idea of expanding the existing structure with modern elements convinced the jury. To this end, the listed front building was gutted, while the exterior walls, the vaulted cellars, and the stairwell were fully preserved as a shell for a new structural framework. After a thorough inspection, the existing structure was stabilized using space frames and wall bracing; the foundation was secured with injection piles and traditional underpinning. To span the 20-meter-long rehearsal stage housed in the historically protected front building without supports, we developed a wooden gable-roof structure.

The auditorium and the stage tower were replaced by a new structure. The 20-meter roof-to-ceiling spans in the auditorium and stage tower were achieved using tension trusses. Another eye-catching feature is the new, delicate steel-and-glass roof that spans the forecourt, transforming it into a gathering place. The entire construction project was divided into several components with overlapping planning and implementation phases.