The Kunsthaus Zurich

The extension to the Kunsthaus Zürich, designed by David Chipperfield, was opened in fall 2021. The new building complements the existing Kunsthaus and together they form the largest art museum in Switzerland. The extension includes art from the 1960s onwards, the Emil Bührle Collection, medium-sized temporary exhibitions and a central entrance hall. The extension doubles the number of permanently exhibited works to 700 and offers a lively space in the center of Zurich.

The idea to extend the Kunsthaus Zürich was born in 2001 in order to create more space for temporary exhibitions and the growing collection. The project was realized through a cooperation between the City of Zurich, the Zürcher Kunstgesellschaft and the Stiftung Zürcher Kunsthaus. This collaboration made it possible to finance and implement the project. An international architectural competition was held in 2008, which was won by David Chipperfield Architects. Their design impressed with its functional and design quality.

One of the biggest challenges was integrating the new building into the existing urban environment. The extension had to blend harmoniously into the cityscape and at the same time serve as a striking cultural center.

Information on the project:

Project: Extension building

Number of participating companies in the UhuCloud: 111

Number of participants in the UhuCloud: 120

Client: Einfache Gesellschaft Kunsthaus-Erweiterung (EGKE)

Owner: Stiftung Zürcher Kunsthaus

Users: Zürcher Kunstgesellschaft

Client representative: Office for Buildings

Architect: David Chipperfield Architects, Berlin

Completion: Opening fall 2021

Photos: Juliet Haller, Office for Urban Development