Theatre for Young Audiences of the City of Frankfurt
Development of a Usage and Operations Concept, Analysis and Stakeholder Engagement
In 2020, the City of Frankfurt am Main commissioned us to develop the usage and operations concept for the new children’s and youth theatre at the Zoogesellschaftshaus. The concept covered the programme’s thematic direction and financial plan, refined the spatial brief, and laid the groundwork for the architectural competition. In 2024, we updated it to reflect current inflation rates and content-related developments, thereby preparing the next decision-making step in the city parliament.
To incorporate a range of perspectives, we conducted interviews and focus groups with stakeholders from the independent scene, young people, politics, public administration, Frankfurt Zoo, and other experts. We analysed existing documents and decisions, and produced a comparative analysis of budgets from other children’s and youth theatres as the basis for the financial plan. We also worked collaboratively on shaping and aligning the concept through regular meetings with the core team and additional stakeholders.
The result is a coherent usage and operations concept that clearly describes the profile, needs, and structures of the future children’s and youth theatre. This provides the foundation for the next steps towards realising a venue that integrates the independent scene, carries relevance beyond the region, and is financially sustainable.
