Construction issues delay Berlin Museum openings until 2020
The opening of the new Humboldt Forum museum in Berlin has been delayed until 2020 due to construction delays.
Housed inside a reconstructed Prussian palace in the east of the city, the museum – which is named after the explorer and polymath Alexander von Humboldt – was due to open in September 2019.
However, in a status update, it was admitted "it would be unrealistic to expect the building to be fully operational by the end of 2019", and that the "stage-by-stage opening cannot begin until 2020".
The statement added that a new timetable would be presented on 26 June.
The main focus, currently, is on completing the building's technical services, which are mostly only partly operational, with some systems requiring adaptation after technical evaluation.
Construction is still underway on the rooftop restaurant, the ground floor and basement, and on the floor of the pedestrian passageway, while the facades of the Schlüterhof courtyard are still partly under scaffolding due to plastering work and final tasks.
The Humboldt Forum is intended to "bring together diverse cultures and perspectives and seek new insights into topical issues such as migration, religion and globalisation", according to its website. The cost of the project is reported to be €600m (US$671.6m, £536.18m).
A disagreement has also sprung up about whether the museum should charge for entry to its permanent exhibitions. Former British Museum director Neil MacGregor, who chairs the Humboldt advisory committee, has called for free admission, while Berlin's culture senator Klaus Lederer has ruled that the Humboldt should not be exempt from entrance fees, so as to not negatively affect smaller cultural events.
Humboldt Forum Berlin Alexander von Humboldt SchlüterhofGoCo Health Innovation City in Sweden plans to lead the world in delivering wellness and new science
Aman sister brand Janu debuts in Tokyo with four-floor urban wellness retreat
€38m geothermal spa and leisure centre to revitalise Croatian city of Bjelovar
Two Santani eco-friendly wellness resorts coming to Oman, partnered with Omran Group
Kerzner shows confidence in its Siro wellness hotel concept, revealing plans to open 100
Ritz-Carlton, Portland unveils skyline spa inspired by unfolding petals of a rose
Rogers Stirk Harbour & Partners are just one of the names behind The Emory hotel London and Surrenne private members club
Peninsula Hot Springs unveils AUS$11.7m sister site in Australian outback
IWBI creates WELL for residential programme to inspire healthy living environments
Conrad Orlando unveils water-inspired spa oasis amid billion-dollar Evermore Resort complex
Studio A+ realises striking urban hot springs retreat in China's Shanxi Province
Populous reveals plans for major e-sports arena in Saudi Arabia
Wake The Tiger launches new 1,000sq m expansion
Othership CEO envisions its urban bathhouses in every city in North America
Merlin teams up with Hasbro and Lego to create Peppa Pig experiences
SHA Wellness unveils highly-anticipated Mexico outpost
One&Only One Za’abeel opens in Dubai featuring striking design by Nikken Sekkei
Luxury spa hotel, Calcot Manor, creates new Grain Store health club
'World's largest' indoor ski centre by 10 Design slated to open in 2025
Murrayshall Country Estate awarded planning permission for multi-million-pound spa and leisure centre
Aman's Janu hotel by Pelli Clarke & Partners will have 4,000sq m of wellness space
Therme Group confirms Incheon Golden Harbor location for South Korean wellbeing resort
Universal Studios eyes the UK for first European resort
King of Bhutan unveils masterplan for Mindfulness City, designed by BIG, Arup and Cistri
Rural locations are the next frontier for expansion for the health club sector
Tonik Associates designs new suburban model for high-end Third Space health and wellness club
Aman sister brand Janu launching in Tokyo in 2024 with design by Denniston's Jean-Michel Gathy
The Peninsula London unveils Peter Marino-designed spa inspired by London’s famous parks
First glimpses revealed of Mandarin Oriental, Mayfair's subterranean spa retreat
"Architecture is alive" says Ma Yansong, as Shenzhen art museum opens exhibition showcasing work of MAD Architects
Three years after Pegasus Capital bought Six Senses, how close is the private equity firm to realising its goals for its first spa and hospitality investment? Pegasus’ founder Craig Cogut tells us what’s been achieved and what comes next
Bionic leaves, breathable metals and selfgrowing bricks... Biomimicry in architecture has come a long way. Christopher DeWolf takes a look at the latest advances
From climate change to resource scarcity, Exploration Architecture uses biomimicry to address some of the world’s major challenges. Its founder tells us how