Interim use of the Schirnin the Dondorf printing house

The Schirn will celebrate its 40th anniversary in May 2026. Congratulations from us too!

Most Frankfurt residents know that the Schirn has temporarily moved to the old Dondorf print shop. Few know that this would not have been possible so quickly without our contribution. Therefore, we are especially happy to have finally found the time to report on it.

While it wasn't our first collaboration with a cultural institution or even a museum. Even in his early days as an event organizer, our CEO was able to arrange programs and nights for several special events at the Städel.

But we didn't see that coming, that we, as experts in interim use, would be allowed to transform an old industrial printing house into a temporary museum for modern art. 

What exactly were our tasks and what did the process look like? 

Essentially, we had to be quick because the move-out date for the Schirn am Römer was already set, with no replacement in sight. We can proudly say today that we couldn't have worked any faster.

After commissioning the research and feasibility study of suitable vacant properties, we first did what is essentially our daily bread: 

Systematically scouted the market for vacancies. At that time, the Max Planck Institute was still in its planning stages for the Dondorf printing works, which would have led to demolition. These plans ultimately resulted in protests and the occupation of the property, which is owned by the state of Hesse.

After the police occupation was lifted around Christmas 2023, we proposed the Dondorf printing house to the city, state, and Schirn as a potential interim use for the Schirn. Subsequently, we represented the Schirn's interests in preparation and planning towards the state and Goethe University, and on the other hand, ensured that the endless amount of information that needs to be processed for a project of this magnitude reached all stakeholders as quickly as possible. Thus, we did what many project managers from other fields are also familiar with: condensing a lot of information into clear data to provide quick decision-making bases for the next steps.

In addition, we have assembled a team consisting of architect Bjoern Tensi Schmidt and specialist planners from previous projects of our own, with whom we have had positive experiences in planning interim uses. Since close-knit and well-coordinated teamwork is particularly important for interim uses, our experience has enabled us to help all those involved reach their respective goals more quickly.

We continued to be the central interface for budgeting, owner representation, and process optimization until the handover to the general contractor, who carried out the renovation work as part of the change of use.

Further information on the history of Dondorf Druckerei can be found at Friends of Bockenheim and here.

Thank you very much for the good 1.5 years of collaboration, especially to:

Dr. Sebastian Baden
Esther Schlicht
Fanny Bengsch
Christian Teltz
Bjoern Tensi Schmidt, Architect
Charlotte Borck, Fire Protection Expert

Potential interim use?

If you are a project developer with a vacant space suitable for interim use, or if you manage a brand planning a pop-up, we would be delighted to hear from you as well!