Munich is getting a new cultural center – and if the prominent operators have their way, even “the largest subcultural center in Europe”: the Gasteig. The multi-purpose colossus will probably have a different name as long as it offers the city’s creative minds plenty of space to develop freely until the planned start of the renovations at the beginning of 2024. In a non-public meeting on Wednesday, the city council took a decisive step towards creating “space for interdisciplinary creativity in an urban context” in the Gasteig.
The committee commissioned Gasteig-GmbH to negotiate the contract for interim use with the most promising and most potent applicants. The Gasteig management apparently telephoned the desired candidates immediately after the meeting: Till Hofmann, head of Munich stages such as Lustspielhaus and Milla and the event agency Eulenspiegel, Peter Fleming from Technoclub Harry Klein, interim use and hall veteran Michi Kern (Lovelace, Sugar Mountain, Freiheitshalle, Utopia) and Nepomuk Schessl for the major classical promoter Münchenmusik want to tackle the mammoth project together.
Four candidates for temporary use of the Gasteig: (from left) Nepomuk Schessl, Michi Kern, Peter Fleming and Till Hofmann.
(Photo: Michael Zirnstein)
“We’re really looking forward to bringing life back into the house,” says Schessl. Nevertheless, there is still “a nut to crack” in the negotiations, as Peter Fleming says. But of course it’s “cool” that “our offer has arrived”. He and the other three had turned down a first tender. In a letter to the city, they explained that a fixed monthly rent of 283,000 euros for all areas plus possibly 150,000 for the philharmonic hall could not be financed privately. No applicant was able to submit a corresponding offer. This emerges from the non-public draft resolution that is available to the SZ.
The city council approved an additional two and a half million euros for temporary use
Instead, the quartet of interested parties proposed a turnover lease, staggered according to commercial, cultural or social occupancy. In the case of the Carl Orff Hall, for example, that would be 3000, 250 to 800 and 0 euros per day. This alternative was promptly included in a new edition of the tender. In order to pave the way for final negotiations, the city council approved an additional two and a half million euros for temporary use on Wednesday. In total, the economic department responsible for the Gasteig expects around six million euros to be raised by the city. The reason for the high deficit is, among other things, the increased energy costs and lower rental income than originally thought.
Based on the current decision, one can now go into the negotiations with confidence, says Hofmann. And although other applicants could still get a chance if they fail, he sees “no major sticking points anymore”. Parallel to the talks, which according to Kern “hopefully will lead to a contract by the Christmas break”, they are already throwing themselves into the actual work “under these positive signs”. With a team of five to ten employees, they are currently creating a design concept and the content of the offer: “It should also look like something.”
For the costs of up to six million euros, the city wants to see many cheap or free cultural uses during the temporary use. “Diversity, cultural education and social initiatives” should be at the heart of the concept, according to the template. It is also expressly emphasized that the independent scene should be given generous rehearsal rooms. Among the rooms for rent are the Carl Orff Hall, the Black Box, the Small Concert Hall and the Carl Amery Hall, large foyer areas and numerous rooms that are used by the Hochschule für Musik und Theater or the adult education center were used. There are also outdoor areas and three of the five shops.
The future of the vaccination center has yet to be clarified
In principle, the use of the Philharmonie should be possible for an interim use, but can only be negotiated when the future of the vaccination center in Gasteig has been clarified. This occupies large parts of this wing of the building. The Bavarian Health Minister Klaus Holetschek (CSU) announced on Tuesday that he intends to close the large vaccination centers by the end of the year. According to a spokesman for the health department, the city has now begun to implement this requirement. “We assume that a solution will be found, we all have the same goal,” says Schessl, who sees the use of the largest hall as essential for the financing.
Contrary to what was initially thought, there will be no additional tenants for the roof of the library. The four main applicants want to take Thomas Manglkammer with his concept of a self-sufficient restaurant supplied by roof beds as a subtenant. In addition, according to Fleming, there are plans to set up rented solar systems on the large roof areas in order to reduce energy costs.
The four operators have plenty of ideas as to what could happen underneath the Gasteig as an “experimental field”. Hofmann wants to involve social groups, for example from Bellevue di Monaco or from youth welfare organizations. He is already in contact with Matthias Lilienthal, the former director of the Kammerspiele, about how the rooms can be used “against the grain”.
Basketball and children’s playgrounds could be there as early as spring
In addition, one will quickly discuss with the culture department how to accommodate bands, choirs and visual artists, and set the dates for city-sponsored festivals such as play, book show, digital analogue or rodeo. Above all, according to Michael Kern, an invitation to tender will now be launched by Christmas. He prefers to call it a “call for ideas” – an appeal to everyone who would otherwise not get a chance to participate.
The rehearsal rooms could soon be assigned; with basketball, table tennis and children’s playgrounds in the outdoor facilities, things could start in the spring, with the cultural program also in March. By then, a name should be found so as not to confuse the people of Munich even more – cultural guests are stranded again and again at the half-empty building in Haidhausen, although they actually have to go to the Interim Gasteig HP8 in Sendling, which has been running for a long time. “Fat Cat” suggests Michi Kern because the Gasteig “sits up there like a cat and looks down on the city”, but so far it hasn’t been well received by the fellow campaigners.