Situated on the north-east side of Heimplatz, a square in Zurich’s city centre, the project expands the existing Kunsthaus Zurich – designed by the Swiss architect Karl Moser and built between 1904 and 1910 – located on the opposite side of the square. This new building will house a contemporary art collection starting from the 1960s, the collection of Classic Modernism, the Bührle Collection and temporary exhibition spaces. A passageway running underneath the square links the Kunsthaus to the new extension. Together with the theatre on the south-east side of the square, the museum buildings will form a ‘gateway to the arts’ while simultaneously making a connection to the university buildings situated nearby. The new building for Kunsthaus Zurich is due to open in 2017.

The urban concept is determined by a pure geometric volume defining two public spaces: the Heimplatz on one side of the building and the art garden on the other. A publicly accessible hall spans the full length of the building, creating a link between these two urban spaces. Large entrances facing the square and garden, together with windows on all sides of the building, will create a strong relationship with the surrounding city. The load-bearing structure consists of exposed concrete. The façade is made of stone, following the material used for Moser’s building. Slender strips run the full height of the façade uninterrupted by the large window openings behind, articulating a strong verticality.

The floor plan of the building reflects the concept of a ‘house of rooms’. Facilities such as the entrance, event space, cafeteria, museum shop and delivery area are situated on the ground floor. The two upper floors are reserved for the display of art, with the exhibition spaces forming a sequence of rooms of different sizes. The artworks exhibited on the first floor are lit from the side by natural light, w hile skylight openings provide even and diffused lighting in the exhibition galleries on the second floor.