Extension of the Städel Museum

The project is the result of an international competition to design the extension of the Museum, that would extend exhibition space from 4,000 m2 to 7,000 m2. Among a select group of international architects (et al. Diller Scofidio + Renfro, Sanaa, UNStudio), schneider+schumacher was declared the winner in 2008. schneider+schumacher s winning design nearly doubled the exhibition area without compromising the openness of the museum— by burying the building beneath the museum s garden.

Beneath the gentle hill landscaped upon the museum courtyard, a domed roof— supported by 12 slim reinforced columns— looms over the new exhibition space. 195 circular sky lights (varying in diameters from 1.50 m to 2.50 m) punctuate the concrete slab. These specially developed "eyes for art" highlight the multidisciplinary nature of the new extension— the apertures may both be walked upon as a collective art object, while illuminating the underground space with a rich sense of daylight that may be controlled by integrated LED lighting and builtin shading elements. schneider+schumacher envisioned a central axis to extend the museum along its historic spatial sequence. The central foyer and all vertical access points were remodeled to allow wheelchair access. Below the water tables, 160 deep piles anchor the structure to prevent it from floating. The Jury declared: "Frankfurt is given not only a distinctive and unique exhibition space, but a state of the art green building too."

The new building incorporates 36 geothermic piles that extend up to 82 m into the earth to provide heat for cooler months and cooling for warmer months. The compact underground building form, the geothermic heating and cooling strategies, and the large internal heat storage capacity together create an optimal room climate with minimal energy consumption.