Competition for a Children’s Museum at the Jewish Museum Berlin: Winner Announced

The Noah’s Ark Concept

The starting point and focus of the Children’s Museum concept is the biblical story of Noah’s Ark. The narrative of the flood is deeply rooted in the Abrahamic cultures. "The design by Olson Kundig has the potential to unpack the biblical story in all its relevance, as well as building connections with the present day - rescuing people and animals, the relationship between nature and civilization, and the chance to make a new beginning," says Peter Schäfer, Director of the Jewish Museum Berlin. Interactive installations, appeals to the imagination, and scientific elements exploit the flood narrative’s thematic diversity.

The Children’s Museum will be a permanent new exhibition tailored to the interests and needs of children aged between five and twelve. The criteria for the competition covered both the scenographic concept and the spatial, architectural design within the existing Eric F. Ross Building. The construction is to be realized by the end of 2018, and the opening of the Children’s Museum is planned for 2019.

The Eric F. Ross Building

The competition site is part of an artistic and creative quarter, still under construction, that is located opposite the Jewish Museum Berlin. The space set aside for the Children’s Museum is in the Eric F. Ross Building, a former wholesale flower market hall. Named after Eric F. Ross, one of the Jewish Museum’s greatest supporters, it has housed the W. Michael Blumenthal Academy since 2012. The intended uses of the Children’s Museum can be divided into three functional units: entrance (ca. 500 sqm n.b.ar.), exhibition (ca. 1,350 sqm n.b.ar.) and museum pedagogy (ca. 500 sqm n.b.ar.).

Prizewinners in the Second Phase of the Design Competition

1st prize (entry 9003)
Architecture and scenography: Olson Kundig Architecture and Exhibit Design, Seattle, WA, United States

Authors: Alan Maskin, Kirsten Murray 
Contributors: Stephen Yamada-Heidner, Marlene Chen, Jerome Tryon, Juan Ferreira 
Specialist planners: Structural engineering: Karen Eisenloffel, EiSat GmbH, Berlin // Climate engineering: Thomas Auer, Transsolar KlimaEngineering, Stuttgart // Fire protection: Peter Stanek, Architektur- und Sachverständigenbüro, Berlin // Local architect: Philip Engelbrecht, Architekturbüro Engelbrecht, Berlin // Structural engineering: Jay Taylor, Magnusson Klemencic Associates, Seattle // Cost consultant: Andrew Cluness, C&N Consultants, Inc., Seattle // Exhibition fabrication: Kevin Belcher, Pacific Studio, Seattle

2nd prize (entry 9001)
Architecture and scenography: Staab Architekten GmbH, Berlin, Germany

Author: Volker Staab 
Contributors: Petra Wäldle, Brigitte Fischer, Sophia Martinetz, Franziska Ebeler, Jamie Queisser, Sönke Reteike 
Specialist planners: TGA accreditation + Energy management: Prof. Andreas Winkels, WBP Winkels Behrens Pospich Ingenieure für Haustechnik GmbH, Münster // Structural engineering: Prof. Michael Staffa, ifb frohloff staffa kühl ecker, Berlin // Fire protection planning: Christoph Vahlhaus, Gruner AG, Cologne // Communication design: Prof. Rolf Eusterschulte, Typoscape, Berlin // Media technology: Günther Lühder, Avisplan, Kremmen // Audio design: Jascha Dormann, Idee+Klang, Berlin/Basel // Art and cultural education: Christine Busch, Berlin

3rd prize (entry 9005)
Architecture and scenography: Michael Wallraff ZT GmbH, Vienna, Austria

Author: Michael Wallraff
Contributors: Sophie Panzer, Elena Valcheva, René Waclavicek, Lukas Bramhas (models) 
Specialist planners: Curator: Brigitte Felderer, Vienna // Graphic design: Christian Schienerl, Schienerl D/AD, Vienna // Structural engineering: A. Hoffmann, R. Vierlinger, Bollinger-Grohmann-Schneider ZT GmbH, Vienna // Building services: Dr. Jochen Käferhaus, TB Käferhaus GmbH, Vienna // Fire protection planning: Sandra Seifert, hhpberlin Ingenieure für Brandschutz GmbH, Berlin // Fire protection + Security: Harald Kraus, Norbert Rabl ZT GmbH, Graz

Competition participants who made it to the final round:

Scenography: chezweitz GmbH, Berlin, Deutschland

Authors: Detlev Weitz, Dr. Sonja Beeck 
Contributors: Ines Lindner, Julia Volkmar, Jonas Althaus, Anna Horvath, Rosalie Sperling 
Architecture: Casper Mueller Kneer Architects Ltd. London / Berlin, UK / Deutschland 
Authors: Jens Casper, Marianne Mueller, Olaf Kneer 
Contributors: Vicente Hernandez, Sabrina Rothe, George Barer 
Specialist planners: Haustechnik: Peter Zeschke, IG Weissensee, Berlin // Tragwerk: Nicole Zahner, Studio C, Berlin

Scenography: Raumlabor Berlin, Deutschland

Author: Markus Bader 
Contributor: Louise Nguyen 
Architecture: AllesWirdGut (Architektur ZT GmbH) Wien/München, Österreich/ Deutschland mit FORMATION A (GbR von Architekten) Berlin, Deutschland 
Authors: AWG: Andreas Marth, Friedrich Passler, Herwig Spiegl, Christian Waldner // Formation A: Torsten Lockl, Lina Müller 
Contributors: AWG: Christian Waldner, Teresa Ricardo, Felix Reiner, Eva Oberndorfer // Formation A: Benjamin Bosse, Teresa Riethmüller 
Specialist planners: Haustechnik: Building Applications Ingenieure, Berlin // Kasche Lußky Dr. Krühne Partnerschaftsgesellschaft // Lichtdesign: Licht und Söhne, Lighting & Visual Design, Berlin // 3D Visualisierung: expressiv, Wien

Architecture and scenography: Sunder-Plassmann Architekten, Kappeln / Berlin, Deutschland

Author: Gregor Sunder-Plassmann 
Contributors: Hans-Christian Rieck // Visuelle Kommunikation: MA Stephan Sunder-Plassmann // Artist: Johanna Sunder-Plassmann 
Specialist planners: Brandschutz: T. Wackermann, Ingenieurbüro Wackermann GbR, Hamburg

Press photos for reporting (listing credits and in compliance with copyright details) are available for download at: Photo download > Children's museum

The Competition Brief can be found here (in German).

Presentation of the models: Friday, July 22, to Thursday, July 28 
Venue: Old Building, top floor 
Admission: free