In the autumn of 2017 was opened as a temporary measure until 2020: the Tonhalle in Zurich’s Prime Tower in Zurich’s Kreis 5. It is the replacement home to the Tonhalle-orchestra during the Renovation of the Traditional Tonhalle, on the lake at Bürkliplatz.

This Temporary venue, designed as a monumental wooden box, which was pushed as a Shoe box in a historic industrial building, is now become, of course, to be the Star. Musicians and music experts are excited. A “gift of God” is mentioned (as conductor Franz Welser-Möst), of a “miracle” or a “jewel” – a very low gem values: The construction cost is comparatively modest 10 million Swiss francs.

With the enthusiasm came the desire for more Tonhalle Maag. Or the desire that the hall will not be liquidated in accordance with the three rebuilding years, but the temporary solution is a permanent enrichment of Zurich’s cultural life.

the President of The Tonhalle-Gesellschaft, the former city Councilman Martin Vollenwyder (FDP), began in this matter, a few months after the opening of the provisional to lead discussions. From the urban side of the hall also received a lot of applause, at the same time cultural Director-Peter Haerle but warned against too much euphoria, because more operations have to take the Tonhalle Maag several hurdles.

deficit

Yesterday, the “NZZ am Sonntag” was well publicized, that the use of the study to the Tonhalle Maag. These show that in Zurich a demand from a second big concert hall – in addition to the “old” Tonhalle, on the lake. And both a demand by the audience as one with the organizers. However, the hall is according to the study, to cover the costs of running it remains an annual deficit of around 600 000 francs.

culture Director Peter Haerle confirmed that the city has commissioned this study. According to Haerle, the city is willing to consider a contribution to cover the deficit. However, several conditions must be fulfilled. This means that an operator could be found, so Haerle, “and there is no one, to my knowledge, so far in sight”. In addition, an extension of the Zurich event, the infrastructure could only succeed if all the operators would coordinate with the programming very well.

the sticking point is likely to be the search of the operator. Could it be the Tonhalle yourself? President Vollenwyder says: “The Tonhalle-Gesellschaft for financial reasons will not be able to operate two locations. You would be interested to play to ten to a maximum of twenty days, the Tonhalle in Zurich.” In terms of the operator would be looking for “contacts to eligible organizations,” Vollenwyder.

lucky cost pressure

Finally, the future of the Tonhalle Maag also depends very much on what the owner of the Maag-areal, in the sense of: the real estate company Swiss Prime Site, which is also part of the Prime Tower. These plans on the Grounds of a new building, according to “NZZ on Sunday” should not affect the Tonhalle Maag.

And what would a Fort in the Tonhalle Zurich for the building stock itself mean? A provisional arrangement without any further can be in a long-term solution convert? Responsible for the construction of the interim Tonhalle, the Zurich architecture firm Spillmann Echsle. “Technically and acoustically, the hall is absolutely not a temporary solution,” says Harald Echsle. Also when it comes to climate-, lighting – and stage technology is the room up-to-date.

In additions, the space around the concert hall, the relatively long Paths for the orchestra, as well as the Artists ‘ dressing rooms, and I because of the narrow temporary budget compromise. “Here, we would start again in a building for eternity”, so Echsle. Of the euphoria that triggers the temporary, are also surprised the architects: they were after the first reactions of the orchestra and the acoustic measurements, although confident that the room is not working. “But musicians and audience are so excited, we have not expected this extent,” says designer Annette Spillmann.

the success of The Tonhalle in Zurich, Spillmann, was due to the special place: a former gear factory in a former industrial district that had evolved into a culturally vibrant part of the city. In addition, the construction from the beginning, had been developed in close exchange with the Munich-based acoustician, Karl-Heinz Müller. “And finally, the big has forced us to limit ourselves to the Essentials. This has proved to be a stroke of luck.” (Tages-Anzeiger)

Created: 25.02.2019, 11:50 PM