James Simon Gallery
Encyclopedia
The James Simon Gallery will be a new, centrally-located visitor centre between the reconstructed Neues Museum
and the Kupfergraben arm of the Spree
river on Museum Island
in Berlin
. Designed by architect David Chipperfield
, the gallery is named after the maecenas Henri James Simon
(1851-1932) who brought worldwide fame to the Berlin State Museums
with his lavish donations.
As the ensemble's sixth building, the gallery will have a prominent position at the site of the former Packhof designed by Karl Friedrich Schinkel
which was demolished in 1938, and will set a concluding accent in the construction history of Museum Island. Chipperfield's first designs featured plain cubes with a hull of satin glass and steel, causing various protests which led to a extensive revision in 2007. The current drafts of the reception building consist of a stone basement, framed by a modern continuation of Friedrich August Stüler
's colonnades at the Alte Nationalgalerie
.
In the course of the reorganization of Museum Island according to the master plan originally designed by Giorgio Grassi
, the James Simon Gallery is mainly created for the growing numbers of visitors, which, when all the museums have been opened, are expected to reach four million visitors annually. Similar to the Louvre Pyramid
, it will receive the visitors for the island, offer them orientation and direct them to the exhibits featured on the main circuit. In addition, the James Simon Gallery will provide the infrastructure of an auditorium, a media centre, rooms for temporary exhibitions, a bookstore, shops, cafés and restaurants for all of the Museum Island.
Neues Museum
The ' is a museum in Berlin, Germany, located to the north of the Altes Museum on Museum Island.It was built between 1843 and 1855 according to plans by Friedrich August Stüler, a student of Karl Friedrich Schinkel. The museum was closed at the beginning of World War II in 1939, and was heavily...
and the Kupfergraben arm of the Spree
Spree
The Spree is a river that flows through the Saxony, Brandenburg and Berlin states of Germany, and in the Ústí nad Labem region of the Czech Republic...
river on Museum Island
Museum Island
Museum Island is the name of the northern half of an island in the Spree river in the central Mitte district of Berlin, Germany, the site of the old city of Cölln...
in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
. Designed by architect David Chipperfield
David Chipperfield
Sir David Alan Chipperfield CBE, RA, RDI, RIBA is a British architect, born in London. He has offices in London, Berlin and Milan, and a representative office in Shanghai...
, the gallery is named after the maecenas Henri James Simon
Henri James Simon
James Simon was a German entrepreneur, philanthropist and patron of the arts during the Wilhelmine period...
(1851-1932) who brought worldwide fame to the Berlin State Museums
Berlin State Museums
The Berlin State Museums, in German Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, are a group of museums in Berlin, Germany overseen by the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation and funded by the German federal government in collaboration with Germany's federal states...
with his lavish donations.
As the ensemble's sixth building, the gallery will have a prominent position at the site of the former Packhof designed by Karl Friedrich Schinkel
Karl Friedrich Schinkel
Karl Friedrich Schinkel was a Prussian architect, city planner, and painter who also designed furniture and stage sets. Schinkel was one of the most prominent architects of Germany and designed both neoclassical and neogothic buildings.-Biography:Schinkel was born in Neuruppin, Margraviate of...
which was demolished in 1938, and will set a concluding accent in the construction history of Museum Island. Chipperfield's first designs featured plain cubes with a hull of satin glass and steel, causing various protests which led to a extensive revision in 2007. The current drafts of the reception building consist of a stone basement, framed by a modern continuation of Friedrich August Stüler
Friedrich August Stüler
Friedrich August Stüler was an influential Prussian architect and builder. His masterwork is the Neues Museum in Berlin, as well as the dome of the triumphal arch of the main portal of the Berliner Stadtschloss.-Life:...
's colonnades at the Alte Nationalgalerie
Alte Nationalgalerie
The Alte Nationalgalerie in Berlin is a gallery showing a collection of Classical, Romantic, Biedermeier, Impressionist and early Modernist artwork, all of which belong to the Staatliche Museen zu Berlin. The museum is situated on Museum Island, a UNESCO-designated World Heritage Site.- Founding...
.
In the course of the reorganization of Museum Island according to the master plan originally designed by Giorgio Grassi
Giorgio Grassi
Giorgio Grassi , is one of Italy's most important architects. Much influenced by Ludwig Hilberseimer, Heinrich Tessenow and Adolf Loos, his extremely formal work is predicated on absolute simplicity, clarity, and honesty without ingratiation, rhetoric, or spectacular shape-making; it refers to...
, the James Simon Gallery is mainly created for the growing numbers of visitors, which, when all the museums have been opened, are expected to reach four million visitors annually. Similar to the Louvre Pyramid
Louvre Pyramid
The Louvre Pyramid is a large glass and metal pyramid, surrounded by three smaller pyramids, in the main courtyard of the Louvre Palace in Paris. The large pyramid serves as the main entrance to the Louvre Museum...
, it will receive the visitors for the island, offer them orientation and direct them to the exhibits featured on the main circuit. In addition, the James Simon Gallery will provide the infrastructure of an auditorium, a media centre, rooms for temporary exhibitions, a bookstore, shops, cafés and restaurants for all of the Museum Island.
