Aargauer Kunsthaus Extension

The Aargauer Kunsthaus, originally built in 1959, became increasingly unable to cope with the constant expansion of the collection and the dynamism of the exhibition programme. After several years of planning, therefore, a unique extension designed by internationally renowned architects Herzog & de Meuron and the artist Rémy Zaugg was opened in 2003. The building represents a harmonious blend of old and new, a mixture of park and city, resulting from a careful analysis of the urban surroundings. While the entrance area and foyer, with the two winding staircases, make a spectacular, open and inviting impact, the architecture of the exhibition rooms recedes into the background, so to speak. The Aargauer Kunsthaus has a total of 3000 square metres of exhibition space (twice as much as before the extension) at its disposal in bright spacious rooms (text fom project's website).