Berlin-based Kéré Architecture has revealed plans for an innovative art and photography museum in northern Germany that will mark studio founder Diébédo Francis Kéré's first cultural project in the country. The Museum Ehrhardt, set to be built in the village of Plüschow, will showcase a distinctive design featuring an 80-meter-long rammed-earth wall and an extensive timber pergola structure.
The ambitious project will encompass 1,400 square meters of exhibition and public space, complemented by a sprawling 3,900-square-meter garden. The new museum will be strategically positioned alongside Schloss Plüschow, an existing artist residency and gallery on the site, creating a comprehensive cultural complex in the region.
Kéré Architecture's design draws heavily on local architectural traditions and materials, incorporating elements that reflect the area's cultural heritage. The external timber structure pays homage to traditional gabled forms commonly found in German architecture, while the rammed earth walls reference the historical use of clay in regional construction. "The building's architecture is contextual and craft-focused, employing regional techniques with wood and clay construction," the studio explained in their design statement.
The museum's main structure will be housed within a wooden rectilinear volume featuring distinctive asymmetrical inward curves on two facades. These curves serve both aesthetic and practical purposes, accommodating an existing tree on one side while creating an outdoor seating space on the other. The building will be framed by a timber pergola that has been specifically designed for future dismantling, demonstrating the studio's commitment to sustainable construction practices.
Visitors will enter the museum through a protruding entrance that leads to a reception area and museum shop before accessing the main gallery spaces. The exhibition area is organized around the striking 80-meter-long rammed-earth wall that winds organically throughout the interior. This curved wall serves multiple functions, enclosing a dedicated gallery at one end and a multifunctional room at the other, while leaving a flexible exhibition space in between. The studio noted that "the wall also improves the indoor climate by balancing humidity and temperature through its thermal mass."
The interior design features textured clay surfaces illuminated by carefully positioned clerestory openings and specialized gallery lighting. Behind the main exhibition space, the curving rammed-earth wall frames a café area where strategic gaps in the timber structure provide views of the surrounding landscape. An internal staircase leads from the café to a roof terrace complete with a garden, offering visitors a paved outdoor area lined with greenery and sheltered by the timber roof.
At ground level, the café opens onto an adjacent grass-covered garden that serves a dual purpose as both a recreational space and a rainwater collection system. "Its topography is designed to efficiently collect rainwater, which is then used for irrigating the green spaces, significantly reducing the need for external water sources," the studio explained. Additional facilities include back-of-house spaces, with a kitchen on the ground floor and office space on the first floor.
The museum project was initiated by Jens Ehrhardt, son of renowned German artist Alfred Ehrhardt, in collaboration with his wife Elke Weicht Ehrhardt. The couple conceived the project as their contribution to the "cultural landscape of northern Germany." Currently under construction, the project's execution and planning are being overseen by Austrian studio HK Architekten, working in partnership with Kéré Architecture.
This museum represents another significant addition to Kéré Architecture's portfolio of cultural projects, which includes a brick mausoleum for Burkina Faso's former president and a cultural center in Togo designed to promote the culture and heritage of the Ewé people. The Museum Ehrhardt is expected to become a significant cultural destination in northern Germany, combining innovative sustainable design with respect for local architectural traditions.
