Kulden Hall was the old Capital of
New Berlin before the Expansion of
New Hamburg. It was then later used by
House Grumman as a private home until
Malik Grumman moved the family to New Hamburg.
Construction
Kulden Hall was constructed in 2278 as the initial site for a grand new capital on the planet of
New Berlin. The past decade had seen a huge influx of wealth and immigration flood into the planet and plans had be drafted for a new seat of government.
A grand structure, overlooking the lake Kulden from which the building took it's name; it served as the planetary seat of power during the construction of New Hamburg. The initial building was very different from the estate that it eventually grew into, initially serving as a meeting hall for officials to attend weekly government business and vote on local legislation.
With the growth of New Hamburg happening at an unprecedented rate plans where made to relocate the daily functions of government to the new city, leaving Kulden Hall to be relegated to a more ceremonial role as a site that hosted key political events and state visits. Towards the middle of the 24th century New Hamburg was well established as a key political city within
The Federated States and work began at Kulden Hall in 2351 to expand the living quarters of the estate to cement the Hall as a key place for visiting politicians and dignitaries to hold meetings and summits away from the bustling city centre. Works ran overtime due to funding cuts from the legislator, but work was eventually completed with Ex-President and Ex-New Berlin Governor
Cameron Vassey presided over the re-opening ceremony in 2362.
Imperial Era
Upon the ascension of
House Grumman to the governorship of
New Berlin with the foundation of
The Terran Empire house Grumman selected the property to act as their private residences whilst maintaining the government operational hub of the system in New Hamburg.
Extravagant expansions where made at cost to
House Grumman by
Lord Abner Grumman who hired 10th Gen AI architects to remodel the property into a more opulent estate. The Imperial renovations mainly utilised Deep Marine New Berlin Limestone from the
SOMETHING OCEAN, cut into gigantic solid blocks that made up the colossal 120m exterior lake facing walls.
Upon
Lord Drake Grumman taking the Lordship major modernisations started taking place on the estate with the majority of staff being replaced by 11th Gen AI and additional land purchased to facilitate the expansion of localised power generation and storage to the estate, in the rare event of tidal events effecting the area. It was around this time when the Hansa Autonomous Zone was created and investment was gifted by local business connections to construct additional landing pads and docking facilities to facilitate the growing number of meetings and private events happening on the grounds.
Due to increased security concerns, the Hall was rarely used during the rule of
Kotek Grumman with most of the family residing within
Dhaka City in Imperial lodgings; the hall fell into a period of disrepair during this period as visiting local officials would often note at the lack of care to the estate would often leave it venerable to the elements and the grounds overgrown to wilderness.
Attention was once again restored to the Estate 20 years later when
Gael Grumman and his wife
Dahlia Avander-Slade moved to the house from Earth and set about restoring the property and the grounds. Expensive renovations costing over 1Billion Adjusted Dollars where reported, amongst this many rumours and gossips began to spread around this time of grand parties and social events lasting somtimes up to a week at a time.
"Gael is a rather hedonistic character who expends a vast amount of his families wealth in luxurious, wild parties, with excess of all sorts and to indulge his whims. I've seen Dahlia attend sometimes as well, she seems to have no issue with all the range of shameless behaviour that goes on behind the estates walls."
A local CEO of a New Berlin investment firm
Kulden Hall played host to the 'Festival of Life' in 2470, a grand weekend long event celebrating the legacy of House Grumman and it's 'Founder'
Abner Grumman , the event culminated with the grand reveal that Abner had been 'reawakened' in a TND Frame.
Republic Era
Kulden Hall remains a key site in
The Terran Republic's history as the founding document was signed in the main 'Governors Office' . House Grumman, under the leadership of
Dahlia Avander-Slade modernised and expanded the compound to serve as a temporary Capital building for the fledging republic whilst maintaining official buildings an hour away in New Hamburg.
The 2501 expansion saw construction of accommodation chambers to facilitate extra staffers, a large renovation of the sub-structure to expand on the existing bunkers and underground rooms and an overhaul of security features that increased the plaza size considerably and greatly expanding the secure perimeter of the site.
Upon the election of
President Everann Sickles in 2502, despite the official status of the hall, the President decided to take up residence in the Parkway Hotel in New Hamburg rather than use the Hall as an official living space and seat of government, the majority of government business moved with him. This reverted back when
President Dahlia Avander-Slade was elected in 2510 and she continued to live in the hall and continue it's use as an official place of government.
When Earth joined the Republic in 2516, becoming the new capital, the estate returned to House Grumman's hands and as a residence for the recently returned
Gael Grumman as President Avander-Slade split her time between
Earth and
New Berlin.
In the subsequent years the property passed through he hands of House Grumman with fairly little change, it remained as a secondary private residence for
Malik Grumman during his time as Premier as government affairs where handled from New Berlin City Hall and he lived in a penthouse suite in the centre of New Hamburg. It was during this time the property was opened up on select days of the month for select guided historical tours - the first time the building had been open to the public. After Malik's stepping down and eventual loss of the governorship he moved back to Kulden Hall where he often spoke about the "quieter pace of life that was enjoyed at the lake". In his later years the ex-governor took up painting and opened up a small area of the estate as a gallery for work of local artists and some of his own pieces.
The Second Zzenddi Invasion
Following the return of the Zzendi to the quadrant and the Republic's growing need for co-ordination Foreign Secretary
Reiner Grumman volunteered up the hall to act as a base of operations for the quadrant-wide international co-ordination efforts, hosting representatives from all major races apart from The Dhau and acting as a location for the
Gannid government in exile.
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