A School Theater
Transforming a sports hall into a vibrant theatre — a focal point for student life at the Rudolf Steiner School.
We transformed the existing sports hall at the Rudolf Steiner School in Munich into a vibrant 470-seat theatre — a new heart for the school. The brief was clear: a hall for both younger and older students, hosting performances, ceremonies, and lectures.
Inspired by the geometry of old folding cameras, the design draws students through a concentric opening that resembles a viewfinder. Anticipation is built into the architecture itself.
Materials and craft
Reinforced concrete provides structure and durability; wood — locally sourced Spessart Oak — provides warmth and acoustic intimacy, aligning with Waldorf principles. Stage technology, ventilation and lighting are concealed within the wood slabs; ventilation slots run inside the seat steps, doubling as comfort and air circulation.
The result balances strength and natural beauty — a stage that is generous to the audience and serves a wide range of school events.
Scope
- Adaptive reuse of existing sports hall
- 470-seat theatre design
- Reconfigured access and stage
- Concealed stage technology in timber slabs
- Acoustic and ventilation design
- Locally sourced Spessart Oak
Approach
Reuse over rebuild. The existing structure stays; the programme transforms. The intervention is generous in atmosphere and disciplined in environmental footprint.
Innovation through restraint: a folding-camera reference becomes the spatial logic — concentric, narrative, always pointing toward the stage.
