Folkwang Museum Essen: Building PR from David Chipperfield Architects 2007:

Competition win: Folkwang Museum in Essen, Germany

Following an international competition David Chipperfield Architects has been appointed by Alfried Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach-Stiftung to design the new Folkwang Museum in Essen, Germany. The competition jury made their decision on 13 March 2007.



David Chipperfield Architects originally won first prize and Adjaye/Associates second prize in mid-February with the jury recommending that both designs be optimised. The appointment of David Chipperfield Architects follows a one month period of revision to the project. In total, 12 practices took part in the international competition.

The current museum is of worldwide renown, housing an outstanding collection of predominantly German and French art from the 19th and 20th century, including works from Caspar David Friedrich, Mark Rothko, Vincent van Gogh and Ernst Ludwig Kirchner. The permanent collection also includes photography, graphics and a poster collection.

As a continuation of the existing 1950s building, the new museum is structured into six volumes and four courtyards. The public spaces are located on the ground floor, on the existing building’s exhibition level. An outside staircase leads from Bismarckstrasse to the raised entrance courtyard, a protected public space with a restaurant. The new museum building provides a variety of exhibition rooms with differing natural light levels, as well as further museum facilities - a library with reading room, a multifunctional room, restoration workshops, administration and storage. A courtyard will integrate the existing building into the overall composition, without losing its architectural autonomy. Reinforced by the landscape design, the new museum building forms an urban ensemble with the Institute of Cultural Sciences.

The opening is scheduled for 2010 to coincide with Essen’s year as City of Culture. The project has received funding of 55 Million Euros from the Alfried Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach-Stiftung.

Folkwang Museum Essen: Building PR from David Chipperfield Architects 16 Mar 2007



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