The Stadttheater Merano, inaugurated in 1900, is part of the city’s cultural heritage. During a recent renovation, we were commissioned to design new seating that would respect the building’s historic context while meeting today’s ergonomic and functional standards.
The original seating was only partially documented through historic photographs and a note from 1924, describing simple wooden folding chairs with light upholstery. In the 1970s, these were replaced by deep, couch-like armchairs in red fabrics – comfortable, but stylistically detached from the architecture.
Our research traced the work of architect Martin Dülfer and analyzed remaining interior details to understand his design language. A digital 3D scan of the existing 1970s chairs and the auditorium, alongside historic documents, provided the framework for our design process.
With no complete reference for the original seating, we pursued a hybrid approach. The new chair adopts the clarity and restraint of the historic model while integrating the comfort and ergonomics expected today. Wooden side panels echo the historic vocabulary, while the continuous backrest extends into individual armrests to enhance comfort. Softly upholstered inner surfaces invite leaning back without adding visual heaviness, and the perforated underside subtly references historic motifs while improving acoustics.
The new theater chair blends into the space with subtlety, creating a rhythmic pattern across the hall without dominating it. It respects history, offers comfort for today’s audience, and contributes to the collective experience of the theater — quietly present, yet essential.
