James Simon Gallery
The James Simon Gallery is the entrance building located in the building of the Berlin Museum Island, between the new museum and Kupfergraben. Was until the 1930s the Schinkel Packhofstraße at this point. The new building, which was initially the working title Berlin Cube will bear the name of the Berlin art patron James Simon and 2017Vorlage, following a decision by 2006: will / opened Future In 2 years.
The James Simon Gallery will be the central entrance building and visitor center for the five museums in the framework of the Master Plan Museum Island adopted in 1999. Through the Archaeological Promenade, the building will be connected underground with the museums and so draw the expected crowds. In addition to the usual infrastructure of a modern museum also provides space for temporary exhibitions will be created and relieve the historic building.
A first design is by the British architect David Chipperfield, who won the competition held with a simple cubic solution of steel and frosted glass 1999. The plans were stopped by the federal government in 2002 as a developer and financier, because in the meantime the cost of rehabilitation of the Pergamon Museum threatened to explode. In November 2006, the German parliament finally approved a budget of 73 million euros. After a renewed flare-up of criticism of the draft Chipperfield, the architect announced in December 2006 to a revision, which was confirmed by the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation. Because that did not go far enough to some critics, in February 2007 sought a citizens' initiative with prominent representatives (Lea Rosh, Günther Jauch ) a petition against the construction of the existing draft to. On June 27, 2007 David Chipperfield presented his new design. The actual building with space for temporary exhibitions, restaurants and museum shops located in the base of a colonnaded passage that leads from the Pergamon museum almost to the Pleasure Garden along the river Spree. The Citizens' Initiative presented its activity on 2 July 2007.
After years of delays due to complicated foundation work with 1200 posts and re- review of the plans, the foundation stone was laid on 18 October 2013.