Kiel, Germany, is roughly 50 miles south of the Danish border. There, architects von Gerkan, Marg and Partners (gmp) and bbp : architekten have renovated a midcentury concert hall built in 1965 and designed by Sprotte & Neve, a historic German firm. The hall hosts the Philharmonic Orchestra of Kiel and is adjacent to Kiel Castle, a building that dates back to the 13th century.
The Concert Hall at Kiel Castle has views of the Kiel Canal and is clad in Norwegian Alta quartzite. Approximately 70 percent of the interior and exterior quartzite panels were reused, as part of the renovation. Cast bronze doors were removed, and the bar and coat check were relocated to make for better egress between the entrance area and its accompanying forecourt.
Glazing from the 1960s was replaced with an energy-optimized, post-and-beam glass facade that achieves the same level of transparency as the original envelope. The original elevator was relocated closer to the entrance area for increased accessibility, and inhospitable steps from the original plan were also removed to create a barrier-free environment.
At first, the building was intended to serve as a multifunctional hall; only overtime did it become a dedicated concert hall. This evolution necessitated an adaptation of its acoustics system. Moreover, age-related deficiencies and damage from earlier repairs, gmp said, created further difficulties that needed rectification. Specific acoustic and technical demands were addressed to make for a modern concert experience.
Alterations were made at select terrace areas to improve sight lines. Twelve acoustic reflectors were installed above the stage area where musicians perform. In a statement from gmp, the firm said that the project “exemplifies the challenges faced by many cultural buildings of the post-war modern era, which today require functional and technical renewal while preserving their architectural identity.”
gmp has demonstrated experience on renovation projects like the Concert Hall at Kiel Castle. In 2024, gmp restored a concrete “hypershell” by Ulrich Müther in Magdeburg, Germany. The firm also refurbished Real Madrid’s soccer stadium in Spain, and completed a concrete municipal swimming pool in Leipzig.
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