Art Museum in the Urban Landscape: The Role of Modern and Contemporary Art Institutions in the Urban Development of Frankfurt am Main

The 1980s was a significantly prolific period for the museum architecture in Germany, when a number of modern and contemporary art museums and exhibition halls were built. Apart from being a result of the new cultural policy, most of them were also destined to fulfil an important role in urban planning of the German state capitals. Thus, the Frankfurt am Main city centre’s identity was completely redefined by creation of the Schirn (Schirn Kunsthalle, 1983 – 1986, Architekturbüro BJSS) and the Museum of Modern Art (MMK Museum für Moderne Kunst, 1983 – 1991, H. Hollein). Various aspects of these architectural projects will be analysed, in order to reveal the importance of the Frankfurt am Main art district for the urban development and architectural design over the subsequent decades. This study considers creation of the Frankfurt am Main contemporary art district as a key step in the genesis of the conceptual model of cultural institution, capable to redesign the urban landscape in a radical way and to create new guidelines for its future development. The evolution and implementation of this model still remains a mainstream strategy in the international architectural and urban practice.