Space for Creativity – The New Workshop Building

As part of the opera's renovation, a new workshop building is also being developed. The Württembergische Staatstheater's decoration workshops will relocate to the site of the former sugar factory in Bad Cannstatt, establishing an optimal connection to the existing scenery storage facility located there.

At the new location, the workshops will be equipped to modern technical standards. This will facilitate efficient operational workflows and ensure sustainable theater operations.

The new workshops consolidate all trades essential for stage design under one roof. This includes the paint shop, where large-format stage backdrops – known as 'Prospekte' – are produced. These are first assembled from fabric panels in the sewing room. Furthermore, the plastic arts and sculpture workshops, along with the decoration department, collaborate with the carpentry, metalworking, and paint shops on the three-dimensional stage constructions.

Within the assembly hall, which matches the dimensions of the stage, all components of a stage set can be integrated. Consequently, the new decoration workshops will enable the production of a complete stage set, including trial assembly – a significant advantage for production quality and efficiency.

The relocation of the workshops will reduce the space requirements at the interim site. Small workshop areas will remain available there for immediate adjustments and modifications.

The relocation of the decoration workshops to the new site at the Upper Palace Gardens will create the necessary space for sustainable theatrical operations. Additionally, this will provide an opportunity to integrate the State Theaters' building ensemble, adjacent to the listed Littmann-Bau, more prominently into the urban landscape.

Project Status

In February 2023, the architectural firm gmp International was commissioned by the state-owned enterprise Vermögen und Bau Baden-Württemberg for the architectural design.

In May 2024, ProWST assumed responsibility for the project from the state-owned enterprise. The preliminary design phase for the new decoration workshops is scheduled for completion by summer 2025.

The preliminary design for the new decoration workshops was completed in June 2025.

By the end of September 2025 , the project resolution for the new workshop building sub-project in Bad Cannstatt was approved by the Stuttgart City Council and the state. This marks the timely progression of the first of the three sub-projects into the design planning phase.

The construction resolution is anticipated by the end of 2027 .

Construction is scheduled to commence in 2028 .

The handover of the new workshop building to the WST is projected for 2030.

According to the current preliminary schedule, operations are slated to begin in 2031.