New Deutsche Oper am Rhein
Construction of a new opera house, large hall, studio stage, “Junge Bühne” theater for children and teenagers, workshop spaces, music school, library, restaurant/cafe, shop, cloakrooms, workshops, costume and prop rooms, offices
Participation in an international, two-phase competition in 2025 in collaboration with GINA
Client: Immobilien Projekt Management Düsseldorf GmbH
Landscape planning: RMPSL
Our concept, which closes the block perimeter, embeds the cultural building into the surrounding urban fabric without losing its independence or the symbolic character necessary for a cultural institution of this magnitude. The project will be erected on the site of an empty former department store on “Am Wehrhahn” – a new location in the city. Alongside the opera hall and the studio stage, the Clara Schumann Music School will also be integrated into the cultural offerings of the new building.
The oval-shaped roof structure atop the opera hall lends the building a distinct silhouette in the city skyline. The facade lines up with those of the neighboring buildings on three sides of the block. However, at the corner of Tonhallenstrasse and Am Wehrhahn, the design curves inward, creating a recess that allows the pre-existing street expansion in front of the former department store to stop at the building’s entrance. The overhang over the main entrance also references the canopy or plinth heights of the surrounding buildings. This not only expands the pedestrian zone but also creates an impressive plaza in front of the new opera house: a contemporary interpretation of the traditional opera square.
The underlying architectural concept is based on the positioning of the opera house and the stage in the center of the building, with the hall itself serving as a link between the two “worlds” – the area reserved for the artists and opera house staff and the public spaces for visitors and city residents. This arrangement enables this functionally required separation while simultaneously tapping into synergies.
The volume of the partially curved structure makes the different uses legible. The building’s connection to the pre-existing geometries and building heights at the location creates a clear yet thoughtful spatial definition to both courtyards, which in turn enables natural light to enter into the adjacent functional areas.
Forum as a third place, facade
The new opera house will be freely accessible and welcoming to all Düsseldorf residents beyond attending performances. This is why the building opens up in the direction of Am Wehrhahn over several stories. The “third place” required in the competition – a forum as a flexible performance space – is conceived as a barrier-free extension of the plaza into the interior of the building and reaches all the way to the publicly accessible roof terrace. The bright, flowing space, which houses the restaurant/cafe as well as the music library, can be used throughout the day for a variety of events and activities that offer the city a social return on investment.
The building is enclosed in a veil-like facade whose structure becomes thinner and more transparent from top to bottom. This allows pedestrians to see into the public areas of the building and for those inside the opera house to see out.
Sustainability
In addition to considering countless sustainability aspects in terms of the building technology and materials used, parts of the load-bearing structure of the former building will be reused. This approach reduces the new opera house’s carbon footprint.
Outdoor spaces
The design introduces a new public square into the urban landscape that fits into the newly designed street Am Wehrhahn. Furthermore, additional vegetation allows the new opera square to become part of city life. The “face” of the new building opens up on the northwestern corner, and visitors can access the building on foot, by bike, via public transport, or from the underground parking garage, which offers spaces for bicycles and cars. Deliveries and waste disposal take place via Oststrasse. This is also where the entrance to the underground parking lot is located. The roof garden around the oval rooftop structure and the roof surfaces covered in lush vegetation turn the opera house into a green oasis in the heart of the city.
Visualizations: Playtime Barcelona, model + photos: JSWD + GINA