The onetime schoolyard, the location of the Simultanhalle, is also a place of commemoration. In 1964 eight pupils and two teachers were killed by a rampaging assailant on the Volkhoven school grounds. After the school was closed, the first municipal studios in Cologne were set up in the former school buildings; they are traditionally assigned to artists closely tied to the Simultanhalle. The old main school building was placed on Cologne’s list of heritage buildings in 1980.

Located in the Cologne suburb of Volkhoven / Weiler, close to the satellite town Chorweiler, the Simultanhalle is faraway from the often bustling art scene in the city and thanks to its dual character as a place of commemoration and art it presents a unique opportunity to create a slower and reflective atmosphere.