Kunst Kolosseum Nürnberg

Approached with the delicate task of converting the Congress Hall in the former NSDAP grounds, the largest surviving building from the fascist political reign in Germany, a sensitive approach was the only fitting solution. The dormant body of the building will be resurrected into a lively, international centre for the arts, a building that lives in the symbiosis of expression and suppression.
An array of perforations through the ground floor towards the theatre shaped inner courtyard invite access without thresholds. Around the courtyard, a green wave washes onto the ‘evil’ building in a quasi healing manner, following the striking archways of the building to house galleries, exhibition spaces, and cafés. From the crests of these waves, the first ‘arcade’ level can be accessed, where views to the city are framed through a succession of arches. The second story houses ateliers and studios, with the third providing space for living archives. Above, rooftop bars and restaurants give life to the terraces peering over the courtyard.