Striking building for Bern
An important milestone has been reached in the "Future Kunstmuseum Bern" construction project: the architectural firm Schmidlin Architekten (Zurich and Engadin) has won the international competition for the renovation and extension of the Kunstmuseum Bern. Their winning project, "Eiger", envisages a striking new building with a timeless appeal that blends harmoniously into the UNESCO World Heritage Site. The project creates a lively ensemble of buildings around a museum square that opens up to Hodlerstrasse and the Aare slope and offers new meeting spaces for art and the public.
Schmidlin Architekten impressed the jury, chaired by Thomas Hasler, with its self-confident, modern architectural language. The free-standing new building sets clear accents and brings added value to the city of Bern by enriching the public space. The replacement for the 1984 extension, which was in need of renovation, will enable the Kunstmuseum Bern to strengthen its role as a cultural hub. By combining architectural quality and public accessibility, the museum will become a central place of exchange.
Extensive architectural competition and transparent selection
The international competition started in July 2022 with 148 applications and was held in two stages. 39 teams were selected to take part, 11 of which further developed their proposals. In the end, the jury decided in favour of the project by Schmidlin Architekten, which stood out thanks to its innovative approach and strong integration into the urban environment.
Exhibition of the competition projects
From 23 August to 24 November 2024, the Kunstmuseum Bern will be showing the designs from the architectural competition. The exhibition provides an overview of the winning project and all other entries submitted. Admission is free.