Stadthalle Karlsruhe: 146 million euros for the big renovation!

Stadthalle Karlsruhe: 146 million euros for the big renovation!

Karlsruhe, Deutschland - The city hall in Karlsruhe, a landmark of the city, is being rebuilt for a whopping 146.91 million euros! The current status of the extensive renovation work was presented on Thursday, November 14th. On the impressive construction site of 6,000 square meters, scaffolding, cable bundle and open blankets dominate, while the renovation is coming to an end. The completion is planned for mid -2025, and the first events in the newly renovated rooms are to take place in 2026.

architect Matthias Kraemer leads through the construction site and shows the sensitive grid ceilings, which may only be touched with white gloves - a real challenge for the workers! A highlight of the renovation are the new screen cubes, which act as a digital control system and should navigate the visitors through the town hall. Such a system has been unique in Germany so far!

innovations and challenges

A new room, the Magdalena-Neff-Hall, was named after the first approved pharmacist in Germany and is already showing progress. In the Brahmssaal, an innovative ventilation system is installed that can circulate fresh air under the seats. But the greatest focus is on the new heating system: the town hall will be heated and cooled with groundwater in the future, which has proven to be one of the most expensive aspects of the project. Mayor Gabriele Luczak-Schwarz confirms that the water system has caused high costs.

Mayor Daniel Fluhrer summarizes the challenges of the renovation and admits that the original cost estimates were far too optimistic. "We had no great renovation in mind, and that led to chain reactions that raised the costs," he explains. The town hall will soon shine in new splendor, but the financial hurdles will not remain without consequences!