New Kunstmuseum Bern
Invited competition 2023

The new Kunstmuseum Bern, with an ensemble of older and contemporary architecture, forms a unique meeting place for art and culture. The leitmotif of this proposal is to both recreate and renew. Firstly, to recreate the original position of the Stettler building as an independent structure, with a clear relationship to the landscape at the border between the urban environment of Hodlerstrasse and the forested slopes of the Aarehang. Secondly, to make room for a new museum and entrance building with a clear contemporary character of its own in dialogue with the older architecture, and the capacity to communicate the future KMB to the city and in a wider context with an international reach.

In order to re-establish its architectural qualities, we propose to restore the Stettler building to its original appearance by recreating its eastern façade. It will also regain its symmetrical appearance by restoring the stairs and the stone wall towards Hodlerstrasse. The only visible connection to the new museum building is a fully glazed link. This way, The Stettler’s original detached character on the slope down to the Aaare / Aarehang can be experienced again. The restored eastern facade will be visible from the street and as a backdrop motif in a new light court at the lower exhibition level. With the light court on one side and a small alley with the medieval city wall as a backdrop on the other side, the new museum building sits precisely positioned between the existing buildings.

The museum’s new, almost cubical volume is designed in dialogue with the classic architecture of the Stettler building. At street level, a series of columns creates an arcade as a spatial frame for the main entrance. The extension of the columns up to the loggia of the top floor creates a verticality that is balanced by horizontal cornice mouldings and the recessed entrance floor that form a sheltering space facing the street. Seen from a distance, the loggia space announces the museum entrance. Upon close, the facade’s materiality of crafted sandstone and concrete becomes clearly visible.

For the museum interior, the aim is to create an easily accessible experience for the visitor, so that the functions of the entrance floor and the different exhibition spaces are linked in a natural and spatially varied loop with good access to daylight and views. The layout is based around a core that accommodates the main staircase and elevators, a freight elevator and staff vertical communications. This offers maximum flexibility to organise each floor according to exhibition space requirements: from completely open plan around the core to a series of smaller rooms en filade. The position of the main entrance in the axis parallel to the Stettler building creates an efficient and clear division of functions with a multi-functional space directly connected to the main foyer that can be used for larger events and openings.

In collaboration with Büro B Architekten, Bern.