Expansion of the MKM Museum in Duisburg by H&deM

The mill in the Duisburg harbor from the mid-19th century was converted in 1999 by the Swiss architects Herzog & de Meuron into a museum for the couple Sylvia and Ulrich Ströher, who are among the largest private collectors of German post-war art. The collection originally consisted of 1,500 items. However, in 2005, a significant collection from Hans Grothe, who focused on German painting and sculptures from the period of 1970-90, was successfully acquired.
In 2008, Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron came up with a project to expand the museum, which would balance on steel silos from the 1930s. A steel structure had already been assembled on-site, but due to the economic recession and the bankruptcy of the construction company, the final installation of the white cube on top of the silo did not take place. In 2013, the Ströher family requested H&deM to revise the project. The new design is less bold and blends better with the historic building of the mill. The resulting structure with a facade of raw brick appears as if it has always been there. It consists of a composition of three masses with heights of 33.5, 30.5, and 27.5 meters. Two objects are designated for exhibition purposes, while the third part serves as communication and technical facilities. The five-story building (one underground floor) will offer a total of 4,900 m² of new space (2,500 m² for galleries). A viewing platform will be located at the top of the silo. Construction preparations will begin this month, so that the cornerstone can be laid in the spring of next year. The completion of the museum extension MKM Küppersmühle is planned for 2019.

“To any passer-by, the new extension will appear to have always stood there. Both in terms of its scale and material. The extension fits into the chain of the impressive historical brick edifices flanking the harbour basin, and thus complements the existing museum and harbour basin complex.”
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