Crespo Haus in Frankfurt’s Weißfrauenstraße 1–3 has been the new operational base for the Crespo Foundation since spring 2024, welcoming everyone in the city to come in and find out more about our foundation and its work. With this goal in mind, the Open Space will be opening its doors in October as a setting for diverse cultural and artistic activities.

Crespo Haus is centrally located next to the Carmelite monastery between Willy-Brandt-Platz with the Schauspiel theatre and the Römer with the city hall and museums. Crespo Haus links both these cultural sites as a brand-new third venue, adding an urbane vibrancy to this part of Frankfurt’s historic centre. The Crespo Foundation acquired the building in 2022 and was granted the leasehold to the site from the City of Frankfurt. After 23 years, Crespo Haus will be returned to the city, which will continue using it as a cultural venue.

The Open Space is so much more than a glass-walled workshop for the Crespo Foundation – it also acts as a new hub for our entire network with all its many participants. The Open Space provides a place where people can meet up and exchange information and opinions, as well as a venue for art, for learning, for creativity. Artists, project participants, our partners and local Frankfurters will come together here for readings, talks, concerts and exhibitions. The rooms are to be used by project partners and by our own programmes for our project work, workshops and educational activities. The idea for the Open Space stems from our founder Ulrike Crespo, who was passionate about linking art, cultural education, educational opportunities and empowerment and was active in all four spheres.

Constructed by architect Ferdinand Kramer in the 1950s, in 2023 the commercial building was renovated and converted on behalf of the Crespo Foundation by the general contractor Lang & Cie. with Schmidt Ploecker architects. The first draft was created by Frankfurt architect Robert M. Wagner (r | m | w atelier). The scenography of the Crespo Open Space was designed by Michel Müller (STUDIO MC Darmstadt).

Today, Crespo Haus strikingly links different people, eras and perspectives. While the facade is closely modelled on the original building, the generously proportioned new open-air staircase creates a new focal point, opening up the building towards the medieval Carmelite monastery and everyday city life: coming from the monastery, the stairs lead visitors directly to the Open Space. The large picture windows encircling the ground floor similarly generate new perspectives – of the foundation and the city alike.