The Fondation Beyeler in Riehen, near Basel, will begin opening its expanded campus to the public this autumn, with the full ensemble set to be accessible in January 2027. The project brings together the museum building designed by Renzo Piano Building Workshop and opened in 1997 with a series of new additions by Peter Zumthor, as well as several repurposed historic structures. Through the expansion, the institution increases its exhibition capacity while extending its grounds to include a larger public landscape. The development represents a new phase for the Fondation Beyeler, building on its focus on the relationship between art, architecture, and nature.
The expansion traces its origins to 2015, when the Fondation Beyeler selected Peter Zumthor to develop a master plan for the museum's future growth. Central to the project is the integration of new cultural facilities within an expanded park setting. The surrounding landscape, which includes a previously private protected park, will be opened to the public and will nearly double the size of the institution's outdoor grounds. Characterized by mature trees, ponds, and open green spaces, the park forms part of a broader campus that includes the new Wyss Museum, providing collection and exhibition spaces, the Ammann Pavilion for cultural events, and a logistics building. Designed by Peter Zumthor, the new structures complement the existing museum while introducing additional spaces for exhibitions, public programming, and social interaction.
The expansion also incorporates the adaptive reuse of several historic buildings located across the site. These structures are being restored and converted to accommodate educational facilities, a music listening salon, a greenhouse, and a small project space. Together with the newly constructed buildings, the interventions establish a network of spaces intended to support a range of artistic, educational, and community-oriented activities. The project extends the institution beyond the conventional museum model, creating new opportunities for engagement across both indoor and outdoor environments.
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Peter Zumthor Unveils Designs for Beyeler Foundation AdditionTo coincide with the opening of the expanded campus, the Fondation Beyeler will present a year-long program of exhibitions and public events. The celebrations will begin with a presentation of works from the museum's collection, complemented by new acquisitions and loans from private collections. Installed across both the existing museum and the newly completed spaces, the exhibition will evolve throughout the year through seasonal changes and rotating displays.
Alongside the collection display, the institution will organize a series of temporary exhibitions dedicated to individual artists. A retrospective of Ruth Asawa will open in October, followed by major exhibitions focused on Frida Kahlo, Louise Bourgeois, and Elizabeth Peyton. Additional programming will include concerts, performances, talks, film screenings, workshops, and other cultural events distributed throughout the campus.
In other recent news, PAU, together with HNTB and HOK, has been selected to lead the redevelopment of New York City's Penn Station, with construction expected to begin in 2027. Meanwhile, Herzog & de Meuron has been commissioned to revitalize Tirana's Palace of Congresses, a landmark completed in 1986 during Albania's socialist era. In Croatia, BIG is nearing completion of the EVE Music Hall in Čepin, a cultural venue developed with SIRRAH projekt and Theatre Projects, scheduled to open in early 2027.
