Start of construction of the DNT in Weimar delayed: new procurement procedure necessary!

Start of construction of the DNT in Weimar delayed: new procurement procedure necessary!

In Weimar, where the historic German National Theater (DNT) is located, there are delays in the planned general renovation. Construction was scheduled to start in 2027, but the city has decided to re-tender the awarding of the planning services. The background to this decision is a decision of the Thuringia Public Procurement Chamber dated June 20, 2025, which determined that the rights of a competition participant had been violated. In particular, it was about the binding nature of individual specifications of the tender, which the city administration does not agree with in all points, but nevertheless decided not to lodge a complaint with the Higher Regional Court in Jena in order to avoid a legal dispute, as MDR reports.

The city of Weimar is faced with the challenge of initiating a new procurement process and plans to implement this as quickly as possible. A time frame for the publication of this tender should take place in the current calendar year, which means that both the scheduling and the start of construction can be adjusted accordingly. The aim of the new tender is to create clear and stable framework conditions for the listed building renovation of the DNT, which has been Thuringia's best-known theater since its opening in 1908. A comprehensive renovation and a moderate expansion are planned between 2027 and 2032, for which the federal government and the state of Thuringia are making a total of 167 million euros available.

Background of the delay

In the last award phase, which took place in 2024, a total of twelve offices took part in the international planning competition. The jury awarded three designs equal third place, but no winner was chosen. This circumstance led to two offices that were not taken into account initiating review proceedings with the public procurement chamber, which led the city to temporarily suspend the award process. Due to the large number of pending cases, the Public Procurement Chamber was forced to repeatedly extend the decision-making deadlines, and so many questions remained unanswered until a clear legal assessment was found. This development has had a significant impact on the entire schedule, as Weimar reports.

With the new tender, the city administration wants to ensure that the DNT - which is known not only for its artistic significance but also for historically significant events such as the constituent session of the German National Assembly in 1919 - is restored in a sustainable manner. At the same time, the expectation that the theater can continue to be perceived as exemplary in terms of architectural culture and economically viable remains the focus of the planning.

For anyone who is interested in future developments surrounding the DNT, the specific details of the general renovation and all planned measures can be found on kulturimmobilie.de. The entire planning is called up here, which is intended to set the course for the future of the theater landscape in Weimar.