david chipperfield architects’ new kunsthaus zürich opens to the public
the expanded kunsthaus zürich becomes the largest art museum in switzerland.
the chipperfield extension opens in zürich
david chipperfield’s berlin studio has expanded the existing kunsthaus museum in zürich. the institution is now the largest art museum in switzerland, comprising four buildings from different eras: the moser building (1910), the pfister building (1958), the müller building (1976), and now the chipperfield extension (2020). the new freestanding building houses the collection of classic modernism, the bührle collection, temporary exhibitions, and art from 1960 onwards.
following twelve years of planning and construction, the extension for the kunsthaus zürich was completed in december 2020 and temporarily opened its doors in spring 2021. at last, the new kunsthaus zürich will open to the public on october 9th.
view from the south-east | image © noshe
modeled after traditional stone facades
david chipperfield architects berlin says that the urban concept for the kunsthaus zürich extension envisaged the placement of a clear geometric volume on the northern edge of the square. the project’s architectural identity is modeled on traditional stone façades, as found in the existing kunsthaus and many other significant public buildings in the city. the new building combines tradition and innovation through slender vertical fins crafted from local jurassic limestone with sawn surfaces placed at regular intervals in the façade.
‘the project for the extension of kunsthaus zürich brings together the fundamental concerns of museum design with the responsibilities created by both the urban context and the relationship with the existing museum,’ explains david chipperfield. ‘from the outset, we have sought to invest the museum with the physical qualities that enhance the experience of the museum visitor while considering the civic nature of the building and the institution.’
entrance heimplatz | image © noshe
the exhibition spaces
internally, david chipperfield architects’ kunsthaus zürich extension comprises a diverse sequence of spaces with the rooms differing in terms of size, orientation, materiality, and lighting. all public functions such as the café/bar, events hall, museum shop, and museum education services are arranged around the central entrance hall at ground floor level, while the two upper floors are reserved exclusively for the display of art. these exhibition spaces are characterized by a calm materiality and an abundance of daylight resulting in optimum conditions for displaying art. see designboom’s previous coverage of the project here.
‘the way we have selected and used materials follows the primary idea of exposing the load-bearing structure of the building, making it both visible and tangible,’ adds jan parth, project architect. ‘we have only added a few key materials, which dress the exposed concrete rather than cover it up: marble, brass and wood. in the construction phase, we were able to rely on swiss craftsmanship, which draws on a long tradition and constantly pushes forward new developments.’
view into central hall from heimplatz | image © noshe
central hall, view to the north | image © noshe
central hall, view to the south | image © noshe
exhibition room, first floor | image © noshe
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project info:
name: kunsthaus zürich
location: zurich, switzerland
competition: 2008
project start: 2009
construction start: 2015
completion: 2020
opening: october 9th, 2021
gross floor area: 23,300 sqm
client: einfache gesellschaft kunsthaus erweiterung – EGKE
user: kunsthaus zürich | zürcher kunstgesellschaft
architect: david chipperfield architects berlin
partners: david chipperfield, christoph felger (design lead), harald müller
project architects: hans krause (competition, concept design), barbara koller (schematic design, design development, technical design), jan parth (technical design, site design supervision), markus bauer (deputy project architect, 2009 – 2014), robert westphal (deputy project architect, 2015 – 2020)
project team: wolfgang baumeister, leander bulst, beate dauth, kristen finke, pavel frank, anne hengst, ludwig jahn, frithjof kahl, guido kappius, jan-philipp neuer, mariska rohde, diana schaffrannek, eva-maria stadelmann, marc warrington; graphics, visualisation: konrad basan, dalia liksaite, maude orban, ken polster, antonia schlegel, simon wiesmaier, ute zscharnt
competition team: ivan dimitrov, kristen finke, annette flohrschütz, pavel frank, gesche gerber, peter von matuschka, sebastian von oppen, mariska rohde, franziska rusch, lilli scherner, lani tran duc, marc warrington; graphics, visualisation: dalia liksaite, antonia schlegel, ute zscharnt
in collaboration with —
executive architect: b + p baurealisation AG, zurich (procurement, construction supervision), project architects: david michel, christian gruober
overall management: niels hochuli, dreicon AG, zurich
structural engineer: IGB ingenieurgruppe bauen, karlsruhe; dsp – ingenieure & planer AG, greifensee; ingenieurgemeinschaft kunsthauserweiterung, zurich
services engineer: polke, ziege, von moos AG, zurich; hefti. hess. martignoni. holding AG, aarau
building physics: kopitsis bauphysik AG, wohlen
fire consultant: gruner AG, basel; contiswiss, zurich
façade consultant: emmer pfenninger partner AG, munchenstein
lighting consultant: matí AG lichtgestaltung, adliswil (artificial light); institut für tageslichttechnik, stuttgart (daylight)
signage: L2M3 kommunikationsdesign gmbh, stuttgart
landscape architect: wirtz international nv, schoten; KOLB landschaftsarchitektur gmbh, zurich
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