Bartosz Czempiel

The functional meaning of the opera as a typology is reinterpreted by the idea of this project. By providing attractive spaces inside and outside for visitors to come and spend some time, the initial thought was to create an opera building which can be benefited from, even outside of opening times and shows. This way, the opera as an intellectual form of cultural exhibit is supposed to be opened to a wider range of people and a greater common interest. The opera house as a building is utilized as the attention-drawing tool for this aim. By providing a platform for social and cultural encounter and creating an urban point of attraction, a new impulse is set for the development of an interesting new part of the city. The exposed position of the Rhine Opera emphasizes its significance as a potential icon for the city of Cologne.

Horizontally, the building body is divided into three major zones: roof and base panels (non-public space) and the wide open centre part (public spaces), which is being vertically pierced by two other volumes. The hard edges of the building dissolve towards the interior and become curves which create some kind of soft landscape in the centre. The delicate proportions of those shapes form the far-ranging gestures and naturally define the entry zones. The lighting arrangement at night time underlines this effect in the darkness.

The visitor approaches the opera over the harbour basin bridge or from the river side. Entering at the lowest point of the building base, the visitor steps into the main foyer which, for its distributional function, is positioned between the two vertical volumes. The bigger one of those hosts the main opera hall whereas the smaller sized volume contains the minor multifunctional concert hall.

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