Gstaad is set to welcome a state-of-the-art Concert Hall and multi-purpose sports and cultural center, designed to replace the existing tennis hall and festival tent. This ambitious project aims to enhance the town’s facilities while preserving the balance between sports and cultural activities. The new multi-purpose hall will provide modern amenities for tennis, while the Concert Hall will offer an acoustically optimised venue for the Gstaad Menuhin Festival and other events. The development emphasises sustainability, energy efficiency, and the use of local materials, ensuring a minimal environmental impact and a harmonious integration into the existing landscape.

Project Development and Vision
The Gstaad Concert Hall is well into the planning phase, with models and documents presented at a public event in April. The multi-purpose hall is still in the conceptual stage and is awaiting public procurement. Ruedi Kunz, Managing Director of Sportzentrum Gstaad AG, expressed excitement about the project’s potential at the meeting.

The new Gstaad Concert Hall and multi-purpose sports and cultural center will replace the existing tennis hall and festival tent. The project prioritises balanced development, ensuring no single building dominates in importance. The multi-purpose hall will offer improved facilities for tennis, while the Concert Hall will be built on the current Menuhin Festival Tent site, which has been in use since 2000. The project utilises no undeveloped land and will provide space for various social and cultural events, complemented by a new car park and shared access road for smooth visitor flow.

Sustainability Focus
The project emphasises sustainability through energy-efficient operations, potential self-supporting electricity generation via a large-scale PV system, and a shared heating system for both buildings. The Concert Hall will feature a timber construction using local wood, aligning with existing structures in Saanenland, and will prioritise local supply chains whenever possible.

Hans-Ueli Tschanz, Board of Trustees Gstaad Concert Hall
“The construction of the Concert Hall will provide a lasting infrastructure, replacing the festival tent at the same location. The Gstaad Menuhin Festival will benefit from an acoustically optimised venue, while the spacious foyers and multifunctional rooms will host various tourist and social events.”

Marcel Bach, Gstaad Concert Hall Foundation Board, Chairman of the Temporary Building Committee
“Now it’s time to realise something. It’s not just an ’airy project for classical music lovers’; it’s a project for all interest groups. It is a project for the future with an appeal that can attract many guests to Gstaad.”

Pierre de Meuron, Architects Herzog & de Meuron
“The development of Saanenland by railway was visionary. Several landmarks in Gstaad make the region unique. The Gstaad Concert Hall will add to this identity. Our planning focuses on creating a project for the people here, ensuring it feels like home. It’s not just about buildings but also about landscaping.”

Multi-Purpose Hall Utilisation
Primarily intended for sports, the multi-purpose hall can also host lectures, trade fairs, celebrations, meetings, and exhibitions, providing year-round use with 1,200 seats. Sportzentrum Gstaad AG is the client for this hall, which is financed by the municipality of Saanen and subject to public procurement. Upon completion, Sportzentrum Gstaad AG will own the multi-purpose hall.

Concert Hall Ownership and Multifunctional Spaces
The Gstaad Concert Hall Foundation will own the new Concert Hall building. The hall is rented exclusively by the Gstaad Menuhin Festival for seven summer weeks, leaving 45 weeks available for other events. The foyers and two multifunctional rooms can accommodate around 600 visitors, designed to maximise year-round use and minimise vacancies.

Based on AvS