Am Kupfergraben 10
Here on the Kupfergraben canal, overlooking the Lustgarten and the Museum Island, the intention was to build a modern building which incorporates, but doesnt replicate, the past. Its openness to dialogue with the historic surroundings will endure for many years, and its appearance remain comprehensible and beautiful. As an urban repair, the new building connects with both of its neighbouring buildings with regard to their respective building heights and occupies the footprint of the preceding building (destroyed in the war), while at the same time developing a sculptural quality. The facades are composed of brick masonry on reconstituted stone consoles with no visible expansion joints, using salvaged bricks pointed with slurry. Large window openings reflect the urban scale of the site. They define the composition of the facade and are given structure by untreated wooden sashes. While solid, age-resistant materials characterise the exterior, the interior is defined not by materials, but by daylight and proportion. Supporting volumes, which contain the secondary usages, organise the 5.5 metre high rooms. The simple floor plan varies throughout the four storeys depending on the formation of the volume and the window openings. The gallery spaces are lit from the side from different directions, and interior folding shutters make it possible to reduce the amount of daylight. In contrast to a museum, the intention is to create good spaces, where one can live, work, or show art - in a townhouse dedicated to the arts, where it is not isolated from the world, but directly related to the cultural heart of the city.
