Ground-breaking ceremony for the Museum of the 20th Century
Press release from 12/03/2019
The ground-breaking ceremony for the Nationalgalerie's Museum of the 20th Century took place today in the presence of Monika Grütters, Minister of State for Culture, and Michael Müller, Governing Mayor of Berlin. The event on the construction site of the Kulturforum on Potsdamer Strasse is a milestone in the realisation of the new building.
Monika Grütters explained: "With the Museum of the 20th Century, a place is being created in the heart of the capital that makes the formative experiences of the past century visible in the mirror of art - with all its upheavals, its abysses and its great moments. It will finally give the Nationalgalerie's spectacular 20th century art collection the space it deserves - as well as the works generously donated from the Erich Marx, Ulla and Heiner Pietzsch and Egidio Marzona collections. The high-class building architecture by Herzog & de Meuron will make the Kulturforum in Berlin what it was always intended to be: a lively venue for cultural exchange and social discourse."
Michael Müller, Governing Mayor of Berlin, said: "The cultural metropolis of Berlin is delighted that the ground-breaking ceremony today marks the start of the construction of this important cultural project in the heart of our city. This intensively discussed project for the art of the 20th century is another great treasure that will enrich our city and make it even more attractive for our guests from all over the world. The newly presented exhibition of modern works of art will reflect the eventful history of this complex epoch. In terms of urban planning, the Museum der Moderne is a major step towards the further development of the Kulturforum, which will thus define itself in a new way. Berlin thanks the federal government for this important commitment to the cultural life of its capital city."
For Hermann Parzinger, President of the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation and building owner, this day is an irreversible moment in the realisation of the project: "By joining forces, we have made decisive progress towards our goal of creating a worthy venue for the great art of the 20th century in Berlin. I would like to thank Minister of State for Culture Monika Grütters for her great commitment and the German Bundestag for its support, and I am delighted that the potential of the collections and the opportunities for Berlin as a museum location have been recognised. After an almost endless struggle to find an urban planning solution for the Kulturforum, the realisation of Herzog & de Meuron's design will finally result in a building that will turn the site into a genuine forum, an urban place for viewing art, meeting and debate.
Architect Jacques Herzog explained: "The house for the 20th century collection was conceived for this specific location in Berlin. It is also a covered part of the city, an intersecting boulevard where everyday life, artistic experiments, performances and public debates intermingle and stimulate each other. There is no need for ostentation or excessive sculptural gestures for the outer form. A large roof, the archaic and still current and obviously provocative form of the house, seems to us to be particularly suitable for this. Especially in this specific neighbourhood to Mies and Scharoun, the house asserts itself - naturally, without showing off but also without hiding. We have carefully planned and calculated the costs and deadlines together with the client, Bundesbau Baden-Württemberg and SPK. We all want to be measured against this planning that is now available."
The cost calculation assumes construction costs totalling 364.2 million euros, plus 52.2 million euros for future construction index increases and 33.8 million euros for risk costs. Completion is scheduled for 2026.
Udo Kittelmann, Director of the Nationalgalerie, emphasised the significance of this day: "A long-cherished dream is coming true. The Nationalgalerie's collection will finally have a suitable home in the near future and will be able to present its important collection to the world. A big step for the Nationalgalerie, for Berlin as a cultural centre and a clear and forward-looking commitment to Germany as a cultural nation."
The next steps in the project are as follows: The existing design planning is currently under review. The subsequent implementation planning will involve further refinement and detailing of the design. There will initially be preparatory measures on the construction site before excavation of the construction pit can begin.