David Chipperfield Wins Competition to Build Extension to Kunsthaus Zürich

The jury, presided over by Walter B. Kielholz and moderated by Prof. Carl Fingerhuth, has declared the project submitted by David Chipperfield Architects the winner of the competition to design an extension to the Kunsthaus Zürich.

The Kunsthaus extension’s partners – the Zürcher Kunstgesellschaft, the city of Zurich, and the Stiftung Zürcher Kunsthaus – will present the winning project at a joint press conference to be held on December 15 at 10 a.m. at the Kunsthaus Zürich.

Submissions were made anonymously to the international competition, which was organized by the Department of Structural Engineering of the city of Zurich, and provided the jury with a broad spectrum of potential winners to choose from. The winning project, selected by a solid majority of the jury, meets the complex demands of town planners and architects while also offering a functionally persuasive solution. All 20 projects submitted will be available to public view from December 16, 2008 through January 11, 2009 at the Kunsthaus.

The Kunsthaus Zürich aims to realize its vision of a museum for the 21st century with an extension planned to open on Heimplatz by 2015. It is to cost CHF 150 million ($128.5 million), to be financed equally by the public and private sectors. The project will be among the first elements to be realized in the University District/Central Zurich development plan, of which it is a part. The Kunsthaus extension is a key project on the municipal council of Zurich’s legislative agenda.

This is the complete list of the 20 shortlisted architects:

• Andreas Fuhrimann/Gabrielle Hächler, Zurich
• Annette Gigon/Mike Guyer, Zurich
• Arge Grazioli/Krischanitz, Zurich
• Barkow Leibinger Architekten, Berlin
• Caruso St John Architects, London
• David Chipperfield Architects, London
• Diener & Diener Architekten, Basel
• Eckert Eckert Architekten, Zurich
• Josep Lluís Mateo MAP Arquitectos, Barcelona
• Luis Mansilla & Emilio Tuñón Arquitectos, Madrid
• Marcel Meili, Markus Peter Architekten, Zurich
• Max Dudler Architekten, Zurich
• Mazzapokora, Zurich, & Buchner Bründler, Basel
• Miller & Maranta, Basel
• Oskar Leo Kaufmann/Albert Rüf Ziviltechniker, Dornbirn, Austria
• Pool Architekten, Zurich, & Aires Mateus & Associados, Lisbon
• Rex Architecture, New York
• Rüssli Architekten, Lucerne, & Steven Holl Architects, New York
• Sauerbruch Hutton, Berlin
• Sebastian Irarrazaval Arquitectos, Santiago, Chile