Museum

The historic row of houses at Oberamteistraße 28–32, along with the surviving basement of the “Stone House” that had occupied plot no. 34, but was demolished in 1972, are among the oldest and most interesting buildings in the former free imperial city of Reutlingen. These architectural artifacts date back to the 13th century, when the city of Reutlingen was founded. The ensemble is therefore one of the oldest rows of houses in southern Germany, authentically reflecting the development of building and living culture over the centuries.

Our first cultural institution in New York is a new addition to the New Museum next door to its iconic SANAA-designed building at 235 Bowery. The New Museum has been growing in visitors, exhibitions, and activities. Its diverse engagements, including its expansive education programs, its cultural incubator NEW INC, and, of course, its globally recognized exhibition program have been transforming the institution into a cultural laboratory. We were asked to add a new building that provides much-needed space for its expanded activities and simultaneously reflects increasingly public ambitions—duplicating the program and square footage on a site immediately adjacent to the existing SANAA-designed building—part and counterpart, side-by-side.

Dabbagh Architects is an internationally recognised architectural design firm led by Saudi architect Sumaya Dabbagh. Renowned for its contemporary and culturally relevant projects across the Gulf, the firm was commissioned in 2018 by the Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi to lead the redevelopment of the UAE’s first museum in Al Ain. The project honours over 8,000 years of the region’s history, preserving its archaeological remains, historic structures, and cultural heritage while introducing a contemporary architectural narrative that bridges the past with the present.

Dabbagh Architects is an internationally recognised architectural design firm led by Saudi architect Sumaya Dabbagh. Renowned for its contemporary and culturally relevant projects across the Gulf, the firm was commissioned in 2018 by the Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi to lead the redevelopment of the UAE’s first museum in Al Ain. The project honours over 8,000 years of the region’s history, preserving its archaeological remains, historic structures, and cultural heritage while introducing a contemporary architectural narrative that bridges the past with the present.