A building is being constructed in Poznań, where the Musical Theatre will have its new headquarters. The facility is set to become one of the most important cultural investments in the city’s post-war history. The original, rather vague concept by Atelier Loegler Architekci has been developed, slightly modified and enriched with details, as can be seen in the new visualisations. The new building will be located on Święty Marcin Street, in close proximity to the Academy of Music, Collegium Iuridicum, the University Hall, the Imperial Castle and the Bałtyk skyscraper.
Musical Theatre in Poznań
The final concept for the Musical Theatre develops the earlier vision developed by Atelier Loegler Architekci, retaining its recognisable, albeit controversial, geometry. The project is being worked on by the Archimedia office, led by architect Krzysztof Janus, in collaboration with architect Marcin Kulpa from Krakow. During the refinement of the concept, the layout of the foyer, the organisation of the main hall auditorium and the aesthetics of the interiors were modified, moving away from intense colours in favour of more subdued tones. The documentation was consulted with, among others, the municipal conservator of monuments, the Poznań branch of the Association of Polish Architects, the academic community of the Poznań University of Technology, and the Theatre Council. The changes introduced were related to new communication in the vicinity of the plot at św. Marcin Street and the recommendations of the competition jury.
Project on St. Marcin Street
After signing the contract with Dekpol Budownictwo, the general contractor, work began on refining the design and analysing the impact of local conditions on the future building. Among other things, measurements were taken of the noise and vibrations generated by rail, tram and car traffic, and an assessment was made of the impact of aircraft flying over the investment site. Discussions were also held with PKP (Polish State Railways) in the context of changes to the neighbouring railway infrastructure. The research indicated the need for special protection of the most important acoustic spaces, which are crucial for this type of building.
The Musical Theatre in Poznań and its interiors
The most important part of the new facility will be the main hall with an audience of approximately 1,200 seats, prepared for large musical productions and concerts. It will be complemented by a flexible “black box” chamber hall with a mobile audience of 300 people and access to a green square in the form of an amphitheatre. The building will also house rehearsal rooms for bands and orchestras, a recording studio, as well as a public foyer, restaurant and audience areas. This is to increase the accessibility of the theatre outside performance hours. Interestingly, the underground part of the building will be adapted to serve as an Emergency Shelter for approximately 300 people, in accordance with the civil protection and civil defence programme. The investment is being carried out in stages, and the subsequent construction and foundation works are progressing according to schedule. A symbolic cornerstone laying ceremony is planned for May 2026 to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Musical Theatre in Poznań.
Doubts about the form of the building
The design of the building has been the subject of debate since the winning concept by Atelier Loegler Architekci was presented in 2019. The main problem is its scale and overly expressive form in the context of the historic surroundings of Święty Marcin Street and the immediate vicinity of the Imperial District, recognised by the President of Poland as a historical monument. Although the buildings in this section suffered serious damage during World War II, they were rebuilt. Admittedly, not without modifications and simplifications, but the complex still forms a coherent composition of monumental buildings in historicist styles. Against this backdrop, the design of the Musical Theatre, with its large scale and contemporary, geometric form, will be a striking contrast. Opinions are divided, as can be seen in the comments under a post published by the Poznań authorities:
Source:Poznań City Hall
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