Halle 32, Cultural venue in Gummersbach, Germany
Halle 32 is a multi-purpose venue in Gummersbach that combines industrial architecture with contemporary design through open spaces and large windows. The interior features flexible layouts that work for both large gatherings and smaller events.
Halle 32 is the oldest surviving building on the former 18-hectare L. & C. Steinmüller works. Parts date from around 1890, when it served as a yellow foundry; the company had been founded in 1874 as a steam boiler factory and bought the Stettenwiesen site in 1880. Deutsche Babcock AG took over in 1999 and closed production, and the city bought the site on 1 July 2002. The Essen architect Heinrich Böll designed the conversion, begun in January 2012 and completed in July 2013 with 4.1 million euros from the Regionale 2010 programme.
The name Halle 32 refers to its number on the former Steinmüller factory site. Under its roof, the Kulturwerkstatt 32 runs courses in acting, visual arts, musical theatre and literature, mainly for children and young people. The hall has hosted concerts by Al Di Meola, Chi Coltrane, Albert Hammond, Stoppok and the Tingvall Trio, and on VfL Gummersbach home match days it serves as the handball club's VIP area, linked to the Schwalbe-Arena by a bridge.
Halle 32 is reached from Gummersbach town centre on foot; a bridge links it directly to the neighbouring Schwalbe-Arena, home of the VfL Gummersbach handball club. The hall is run by the city's cultural office, so visiting depends on the event programme rather than fixed hours. Unseated it holds up to 1,500 guests, and the in-house "32 Süd" provides food and drink.
The structure preserves original industrial elements like old facades and roof construction that visitors notice upon entering. These details tell the story of its former use and give the space an authentic character blending modern events with industrial heritage.
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