New Bauhaus Museum Weimar

Architecture Competition

On 14 July 2011 the board of trustees at the Klassik Stiftung Weimar launched an architectural design competition for the New Bauhaus Museum, and in so doing, implemented one of the main projects of the Cosmos Weimar master plan. The open international competition, jointly organised by the Klassik Stiftung Weimar and the city of Weimar, was comprised of two rounds. In the first round, the participants were asked to propose an appropriate location for the New Bauhaus Museum, which would have to be integrated into the complex environment of downtown Weimar, and to come up with an exciting concept for its architectural design. On 1 November 2011, the jury, chaired by Prof. Jörg Friedrich (Hamburg), selected 27 contenders for the second round of the competition, for which they had to submit a more detailed urban-planning, architectural and interior design concept for the New Bauhaus Museum and develop a final, shovel-ready proposal.

A total of 2,189 architects from 60 different countries registered to participate in the open international competition. Out of these, 2,039 came from 32 European countries, 1,151 of whom came from Germany with 70 from Thuringia alone. By the first submission deadline at the beginning of October 2011, 536 participants had submitted their proposals.

The purpose of such a complex procedure was to find an architecturally innovative, sustainable, energy-efficient and museologically sound solution for a new museum that takes full advantage of the urban-planning potential of the Weimarhallenpark. All the submitted proposals and contenders remained anonymous to ensure objectivity and fairness.

On 15 March 2012 the jury announced its decision. All proposals of the second round of the competition are put on public display at the Neues Museum in Weimar until 09 April 2012.

The focus and unique feature of the New Bauhaus Museum will be the historic Bauhaus collections of the Klassik Stiftung Weimar. The museum’s activities will highlight all aspects of the State Bauhaus, the events which led to its establishment in Weimar in 1919, its colourful history and lasting influence. Since 1990 the collection has grown enormously with purchases and donations. The Gropius Collection, owned by the Klassik Stiftung Weimar, is the world’s oldest collection of original Bauhaus works.

The new museum will contain 3,716 m² of useable floor space. The entire project will cost an estimated 22 million euros, which includes the municipal contribution to the architectural design competition. A total of 14.5 million euros has been appropriated to cover the cost of construction. The 17-member jury was supported by 12 expert consultants. The competition was managed by Schubert/Horst Architekten, Dresden.

The New Bauhaus Museum is scheduled to open in 2015.