Zentrum Paul Klee, Bern

The prominent Genovese architect Renzo Piano, recipient of the 1998 Pritzker Award, has designed a new and unusual museum building—the Zentrum Paul Klee on the outskirts of Bern. Piano was convinced from the outset that he would find the answers to his own questions in the art of Paul Klee. The Center, says Piano, is dedicated to the “poet of silence,” and thus it was only fitting to consider building a museum that would speak softly. Renzo Piano was also inspired by the identity of the location and the gentle, undulating lines of the terrain. He envisioned a green island, a mysterious and enchanting place. The Zentrum Paul Klee rises upward in the form of three hills connected by a 150-meter-long thoroughfare, the “Museumsstrasse” within the museum complex. It is a harmonious yet prominent landscape sculpture featuring an innovative steel construction that supports the roof. In this documentation, Benedikt Lodererprovides a precisely detailed description of Renzo Piano’s architectural idea. With the aid of numerous photographs, design sketches, plans, and models, he presents a living image of a magnificent building and its fascinating architectural history. (German edition ISBN 978-3-7757-1549-2; French edition ISBN 978-3-7757-1551-5)