An art gallery and visitor centre designed by UK firm David Chipperfield Architects has opened on Museum Island in Berlin.
The 10,900 sq m James-Simon-Galerie is located on a narrow strip of land where Karl Friedrich Schinkel’s Neuer Packhof administration building stood until 1938.
Acting as the gateway to the island, it contains exhibition spaces and an auditorium.
Named after Henri James Simon, a German entrepreneur, philanthropist and art collector, the building references other architecture on Museum Island, such as built topography, colonnades and outdoor staircases.
The exterior is made from smooth concrete, while the inside houses reconstituted stone with natural stone aggregate.
The exterior is made from smooth concrete, while the inside houses reconstituted stone with natural stone aggregate.
The James-Simon-Galerie has taken 20 years to finish and is the final part of the Unesco heritage listed Museum Island to be completed.
Images courtesy of David Chipperfield Architects
