Kéré Architecture has begun construction on its first museum project in Europe. The official construction has begun on the Museum Ehrhardt in Plushow, North East Germany. 

Named Museum Ehrhardt, when it is completed, the building will be the studio's first museum building in Europe and the first cultural project by Kéré Architecture in Germany.

Interior view of the exhibition space

The new museum, which will span 1,400 square meters, will be dedicated to modern art and photography. Dr. Jens Ehrhardt, the son of artist Alfred Ehrhardt, and his spouse Elke Weicht-Ehrhardt started the project. 

The project was designed by Kéré Architecture, in cooperation with HK Architekten, Hermann Kaufmann + Partner ZT GmbH.

Aerial view, garden

Alfred Ehrhardt (1901–1984), a painter, photographer, and filmmaker, was one of the key players in the New Objectivity movement that influenced German perceptions of art in the 20th century.

View of the café

"I am excited that our very first museum building in Europe will soon be a reality. In Plushow there are few places for people to come together," said Francis Kéré. 

"I hope the Museum Ehrhardt will have a positive influence on the region and bring inspiration and connection to the lives of people in this small community," Kéré added.

Interior view of the gallery space

The museum is situated in the former East German town of Plushow, which is close to the Baltic Sea. 

The clients selected this place because they have a personal connection to the area where the family originated and still resides, as well as because they both want to contribute to northern Germany's cultural scene. The new structure will be situated next to Schloss Pelzow, which houses a gallery and artist residence.

Exterior view

The structure's architecture is craft-oriented and contextual, utilizing local methods for building with clay and wood. With a roof garden that blends the structure into the surroundings, a wooden pergola mimics classic gable shapes. 

The exhibition area is shaped by an 80-meter-long, free-formed rammed earth wall along the building's center axis. 

Exterior view, entrance

By using its thermal mass to balance temperature and humidity, the wall also enhances the indoor climate. Above it is a timber structure whose framework is made to be disassembled and reused in the future, guaranteeing the building's sustainable life cycle. 

In close cooperation with HK Architekten from Austria, who are in charge of the execution and meticulous planning, the timber design was created.

View of the rooftop garden

Outdoor areas are a crucial component of the design; a ground-level garden stretches from the museum café, while a roof garden serves as a biotope. Its topography effectively collects rainfall, which is subsequently utilized to irrigate the green areas, greatly lowering the demand for outside water sources.

Exterior view, garden

"The museum will be a place for encounter and exchange on the topics of art and architecture, created in honor of Alfred Ehrhardt. The design by Francis Kéré—known for his use of sustainable, local materials and techniques—draws on regional building traditions and is embedded sensitively into its surroundings," said Jens Ehrhardt. 

"We hope that the local community will embrace this new building and that it will become a vibrant part of the region's cultural life," Ehrhardt added.

The Museum Ehrhardt is planned to open at the end of 2027.

Aerial view of the site

Aerial view of the site

Site plan

Diagram heritage

Diagram program

Ground floor plan

First floor plan

Section

Section

Detail drawing

South-East, North-West elevations

South-West, North-East elevations

Recently, Kere Architecture created a mausoleum wrapped in triangular-shaped brick louvres, made from thirteen columns. In addition, the firm unveiled design for a place of worship and cultural center in the town of Notsè, Togo. This project represents the studio’s first project in Togo. Moreover, the studio started construction on a new childcare center at Munich’s Technical University in Germany. 

Project facts

Project name: Museum Ehrhardt

Architects: Kéré Architecture, in cooperation with HK Architekten, Hermann Kaufmann + Partner ZT GmbH

Location: Am Schlosspark 4, Plüschow - Germany

Design team: Leonne Vögelin, Mathis Zondler

Contributors: Andrea Maretto, Daniel Melendez, Gökçe Senol, Gudrun Müller, Klara Johnsson, Oskar Haushofer, Benjamin Gabler, Carolin Ackermann, Lara Schöllhorn

Engineering: Merz Kley & Partner GmbH

Fire Safety: Fire & Timber Ing.

Building Services: Knecht Ingenieure 

Building Physics: Hafner Weithas Bauphysik 

Lighting Design: Bernd König Lichtplaner 

Landscape: Erik Dhont Landscape Architects

Project management: GAPP GmbH, Antony Gross, Felix Bodenmüller

Site: 6871,61 m2

Size of the museum: 1363 m2 (56,8m x 20,05m)

Size of the garden: 3973,3 m2

Client: Dr. Jens Ehrhardt, Elke Weicht-Ehrhardt

All renderings and drawings are courtesy of Kéré Architecture.

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Kéré Architecture museum Museum Ehrhardt