Museum Küppersmühle adds more room for art exhibits
As part of a project scheduled to be complete by the end of 2018, the Museum Küppersmühle is expanding its existing premises. A four-floor annex will offer more space to accommodate the Ströher Family Collection. The family is funding the project through its private foundation. Architecture firm Herzog & de Meuron from Basel is in charge of the architectural planning. The project integrates the existing museum structures into the new complex based on the existing MKM building and the architecture of the interior port to create a harmonious ensemble.
Drees & Sommer entered into a general construction management contract. Within the framework of the assignment, the company provides project management, general planning and construction site management services, as well as engineering services, including structural physics, technical building equipment, façade technology and support structure related services. Based on energy and light simulation, the engineering experts have also developed an energy concept for the MKM expansion. Numerous critical factors had to be taken into account, including the usage requirements. The new structure will not only host exhibitions, but also events. Hence, the natural light room, which is being installed on the third floor and boasts a ceiling clearance of nine meters, will receive a climate insulated floor.
Besides the expansion annex, the new museum concept also integrates the existing silo building, which boasts an interior that stands 30 meters tall as an exhibition space, as well as a connecting tract to the existing building. The air conditioning of the silo in a manner that is compatible with all of the exhibition spaces to ensure that it can be used as a connecting exhibition space in the future, is one of the complex technical demands that have to be met in conjunction with this project.
Sustainable buildings for the NRW State Environmental Agency
In the heart of Duisburg, a new building complex boasting approximately 21,000 square meters of floor space is also slated to be completed by the end of next year. It will eventually house primarily LANUV staff members from the current Düsseldorf site, who mostly work on water protection related matters. Hence, the complex will not only comprise office space, but also a laboratory. The environmental protection agency considers it particularly important to stay as close to the passive solar building standards as possible. The specifications for the exteriors of the office building call for limits that are 50 percent lower than those demanded by the EnEv 2009. Photovoltaic and remote heating systems will be used to achieve this. The new location was chosen for benefits such as its traffic infrastructure advantages thanks to its proximity to the railway station and the interstate. Aurelis is the general contractor for the project; Drees & Sommer provides project management and controlling services. The consulting and project management firm also assists Aurelis with the DGNB certification in gold and the start-up management