In August 2006 Prof. Dr. h.c. mult. Bertthold Beitz, Chairman of the Alfried Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach-Stiftung announced that the foundation would provide the funds for a new building for the Museum Folkwang as sole donor. With this decision, the Krupp-Stiftung provides a unique continuation of its decade long proven generous support.

In March 2007, David Chipperfield emerged as victor of an international architecture competition organized by the city of Essen. The building was constructed by the Neubau Museum Folkwang Essen GmbH, a company of the Wolff Group and opened in 2010 when Essen and the Ruhr Area became European Cultural Capital.

The new building by David Chipperfield Architects complements the list old building of the Museum Folkwang, conserving its autonomy and is a continuation of its architectural principles with an ensemble of six structures and four interior courtyards, gardens and corridors. Public access areas are connected to the existing exhibition rooms without any change in level. A large open stairway leads from Bismarckstraße into the new entrance hall, conceived as open interior courtyard with café and restaurant as well as a museum bookstore and is protected from the street by a glass façade. The new Museum Folkwang offers a varied series of rooms with considerable natural light for the exhibition areas, as well as library and reading room, a multi-function hall for lectures and events, depots and restoration workshops. The new building is oriented towards the Essen city center and forms, in harmony with the neighboring Institute of Advanced Studies in the Humanities, a new urban landscape accent.


Dates and Facts
Client: Neubau Museum Folkwang Essen GmbH,
a company of the Wolff Group, for the Alfried Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach-Stiftung

Architect: David Chipperfield Architects, Berlin/London

Construction Budget: 55,000,000 Euros
Competition: 2007
Opening: January 2010

Net surface area – new building: 23,000 m2
Floor Space – new building:  16,000 m2

Temporary exhibition hall: 1,400 m2
Collection: 1,400 m2
Photographic Collection: 400 m2
German Poster Museum: 350 m2
Graphic Arts Collection: 160 m2

Entrance with foyer: ca. 500 m2
Multi-function space: 220 m2
Restoration studio: 650 m2
Workshops: 770 m2
Depots: ca. 2,800 m2
Restaurant: ca. 230 m2
Bookshop: ca. 110 m2
Underground parking garage: 135 parking places, 3,700 m2