Lucerne: City can continue planning theater project

The architectural competition for the new Lucerne Theater has finally been concluded with a legally binding ruling. Complaints against the competition and adjudication process for the prestigious project in the heart of the city were rejected by the cantonal court, and the ruling recently became legally binding. The winning project has thus been decided: it is the "Überall" project by Zurich-based Ilg Santer Architekten. "The revision of the project will now begin," announced the city of Lucerne. The designs came out on top against 127 other projects. "It fills us with satisfaction that the path we have taken so far and the approach we have taken are also considered legally compliant in court and that we have a clear winning project," says Beat Züsli, Mayor and President of the project planning company.

Various points of criticism from the judging process and other concerns are to be taken into account when revising the project. The process will reportedly take around six months. It is then planned to present the result in a parliamentary bill and submit it to the city council together with the application for the project loan.

The new theater will have a significant impact on the cityscape thanks to its location on the Reuss riverside promenade between the Jesuit Church and the medieval Chapel Bridge. The bold design, which envisages an extension with a double-gabled façade pierced by three large, showcase-like openings, is considered controversial in the city. Observers expect further resistance to its realization. (aw)