James-Simon-Galerie, Museumsinsel Berlin, Germany

Object Type
Museums

Client
Stiftung Preußischer Kulturbesitz represented by Bundesamt für Bauwesen und Raumordnung

Architects
David Chipperfield Architects, Berlin

Completion
2018

Expertises
Thermal Insulation & Energy Performance Calculation
Energy Concepts
Building Acoustics
Room Acoustics

Named after the Jewish art patron James Simon, the Museumsinsel Berlin receives a new central reception building with a visitor center. Connected underground to the museums via the adjacent Archaeological Promenade, the building will direct the annually expected two to three million visitors to relieve the historical buildings. In addition to the usual infrastructure of a modern museum operation including cloakroom, museum shop, and café, rotating exhibitions will be presented in a large exhibition hall, and various events will be offered in an auditorium.

The focus was on all aspects of building physics consulting, considering the special climatic conditions within the building. Special flow technical and climate simulations were conducted for thermal comfort and climate stability. Another challenge was the permanently submerged basement, for which a special waterproofing concept was developed. In addition to being executed in waterproof concrete, the relatively new construction method with fresh concrete bonded membrane was used in the area of the special exhibition. The architecture in exposed concrete required individually tailored measures for optimizing room acoustics and speaker placement in the foyer and auditorium. To achieve the best possible sound insulation, the external staircase leading over the auditorium was isolated.

Image Copyright
1 Ute Zscharnt für David Chipperfield Architects
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