Die Neue Hamburgische Staatsoper
Replacing the 1950s State Opera building on Dammtorstraße, the new 45 000 m² venue responds to the city's need for a modern house that meets contemporary acoustic, spatial, and technical standards. The new opera sits within Hamburg's evolving waterfront — a city that has long intertwined culture and harbour life, from the Speicherstadt warehouses to the Elbphilharmonie — continuing the dialogue between civic architecture and the water's edge.
Information Sheet
New Build Die Hamburgische Staatsoper www.die-hamburgische-staatsoper.de
Location Hamburg Germany.
Project Cost n/a.
Time Frame Competition 2025. Design: 2026-2028. Construction: 2028-2033. Opening: 2033.
Owner HSO Projekt gGmbH, Germany.
Architect(s) Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), Copenhagen , Denmark big.dk
Theatre Planner(s) Theatre Projects, United Kingdom theatreprojects.com
Seat Count An auditorium of 1 600-seat capacity as well as a studio theatre, a rehearsal centre for orchestra and ballet, and workshops. Total gross floor area: 45 000 m².
Uses A varied repertoire programme of opera and ballet as well as participatory and experimental uses.
Services Comprehensive acoustic consulting services from the preparation of the acoustic brief, through support during the architectural competition, to design and completion.
Team Jannis Kriz, Evan Green, Eckhard Kahle, Kahle Acoustics.
The opera will appear like a landscape of concentric terraces — emanating like soundwaves from a central beating heart of music, expanding outward into the harbour like ripples on the surface of the sea. The result is a three-dimensional public park open and accessible from all sides, with expansive views in all directions — to the old city and the new, to Lohse Park and the industrial port. Photo © Yanis Amsri, BIG
Replacing the 1950s State Opera building on Dammtorstraße, the new 45 000 m² venue responds to the city's need for a modern house that meets contemporary acoustic, spatial, and technical standards. The new opera sits within Hamburg's evolving waterfront. Photo © Yanis Amsri, BIG
Replacing the 1950s State Opera building on Dammtorstraße, the new 45 000 m² venue responds to the city's need for a modern house that meets contemporary acoustic, spatial, and technical standards. The new opera sits within Hamburg's evolving waterfront. Photo © Yanis Amsri, BIG
The auditorium brings the audience and performers together in a space featuring gently curving balconies emanating as waves from the proscenium. Both acoustics and architectural design aim for an immersive spatial experience. Photo © Yanis Amsri, BIG
The main foyer functions as an urban living room, with two central timber staircases guiding visitors through the building. All principal floors offer direct access to outdoor terraces, which can be adapted into arrival points, event venues, and gathering spaces for performers, guests, and visitors alike. Photo © Yanis Amsri, BIG