The Walhalla is to be developed into a cultural venue. In other words, a place where interested people can engage with music, literature, theater and art, for example, and where events can take place. A utilization concept was developed for this purpose.

When developing a utilization concept, it was important to the Cultural Advisory Board that there should be no duplication of existing offers - rather, these should be supplemented by new offers in the Walhalla.

The revitalization of the Walhalla is intended to

• revitalize the city centre.
• improve the quality of life in the city center
• create a place that can be used for different cultural needs. The programme in the Walhalla will be organized as a festival programme, for example in the form of children's and young people's book presentations or music, dance and theater events.

How the Walhalla can be used in the future is, however, limited by a number of factors: The building is a listed building, which means that the rooms cannot be adapted at will. This means that there are restrictions on what can and cannot take place in the rooms. For example, no symphony orchestras can be held or large backdrops set up. In addition, the existing building structure limits the building's technical equipment.

The utilization concept is kept very open and flexible. There are various reasons for this

• The utilization concept is being developed in parallel with the renovation work. The renovation work is only just beginning. This means that various challenges may still arise during the refurbishment, which will require the concept to be adapted.
• The renovation work has already had to be started because we do not want to risk any further damage.
• The city council has specified flexible use in order to be able to cover as many different needs as possible.

The current usage concept can therefore still change due to various external factors.

The Walhalla should

• be a place for all generations.
• In addition to work | school and home, it should be a "third place" where people can meet and spend time.
• facilitate cooperation with and between different users. For example, several users organize joint festival events.

Ideas, suggestions and requirements for the use of the Walhalla were put forward by various parties. The following were involved:

• Municipal committees (Cultural Advisory Council, Mitte Local Advisory Council)
• Cultural professionals, for example artists
• Citizens - for example as part of Valhalla Week, in which schoolchildren got involved, and through the My Valhalla Story campaign

There is also a steering group that develops concrete goals and plans the next steps. The steering group includes the Lord Mayor, people from the building commission, people from the administration and representatives of the cultural advisory board.

The various ideas, suggestions and requirements of the individual participants (municipal committees, steering group, working groups, citizens, cultural professionals) were compiled in the concept.

First floor:

• On the first floor there is a "third place" with gastronomy. It is intended to invite all generations to linger and meet. It serves as a place to spend time without the need to consume. The demarcated event area offers plenty of space for various events. On the first floor, there is also a passageway from Mauritiusplatz to Hochstättenstraße.
• Space for around 80 to 100 people
• Examples of events: Program with yoga classes, dance teas, workshops by and for citizens

Second floor:

• Various events can take place in the Spiegel- und Festsaal, which are also organized as a festival programme.
• Space for approx. 50 to 80 people in the Spiegelsaal, approx. 800 people with seating in the Festsaal
• Examples of events: Theater, variety shows, baroque music, performances by international authors, school events, balls, receptions

First basement floor:

• The former Bambi cinema and the vaulted cellar are located in the basement.
• There will be a flexible event room called the "Black Box". It has space for around 80 to 100 people
• Examples of events: Theater, youth parties, cinema, puppet theater, concerts
• The vaulted cellar will not be an event room. It will be used for checkrooms and sanitary facilities.

Funding is currently available for the renovation of the Walhalla. The first subsidies have already had to be called up now, as otherwise they can no longer be used. A subsidy from the city will be necessary for the operation of the Walhalla at a later date. Although the premises are to be rented out according to different rental models (with subsidies and without subsidies from the city), the focus should not be on profitability.

Accordingly, additional funds for the cultural budget will be required to implement the cultural program. The amount of funding will depend on the operating concept, which has yet to be drawn up. Some of the costs will be covered by additional funding for individual cultural projects.

It is possible that, from a structural point of view, currently envisaged usage scenarios cannot be implemented at a later date. This will only become apparent in the course of the refurbishment. For example, space has been created for a goods elevator. Where the goods elevator has now been planned, this will also have an impact on the delivery of event materials and will therefore affect its use.

Furthermore, there are currently still hurdles in terms of fire protection and the statics of the roof trusses. In the ballroom, it is being checked whether and how much load the statics of the roof truss can bear for event technology.

A space concept has now been drawn up based on the utilization concept. The space concept can now be used to determine the necessary financial resources for renovation and operation. To ensure that the Walhalla can continue to develop, regular adjustments are made to the utilization concept and the space concept is refined.

Restorers are currently on site. For example, they are taking stock of objects, protecting the chandelier and finding out what colors the walls of the Valhalla were painted and where the gilding was.

At the same time, contaminated building materials are being removed from the Walhalla and it is being examined whether the side extension from 1910 (brick façade) can be preserved. This works. The issue of accessibility is also currently playing a major role in the planning.