Exhibition Hall Kassel: A Contemporary Wooden Pavilion by Innauer-Matt Architekten

Located in the cultural heart of Kassel, Germany, the Exhibition Hall Kassel by Innauer-Matt Architekten is a striking addition to the city’s rich artistic landscape, home to the world-renowned documenta art festival. Completed in 2022, the 470 m² hall merges contemporary design with historical sensitivity, creating a flexible space for exhibitions, student projects, and large-scale artworks.

Context and Site Integration

The hall is thoughtfully positioned in the inner courtyard of the historically protected Art Academy, a 1962 building by Paul Friedrich Posenenske, on the edge of the baroque Karlsaue Park. The new structure occupies a space originally conceived by Posenenske for expansion, ensuring a seamless dialogue between past and present. The hall’s rectangular, concentric layout not only respects the original architecture but also activates the courtyard, generating diverse outdoor spaces, including a generous front plaza and a quiet green area featuring seven Beuys trees.

Flexible, Functional, and Open

Designed as a multifunctional exhibition lab, the hall accommodates a variety of uses. Its open-plan interior can function as a single, uninterrupted exhibition space or subdivide into multiple work or display zones. The hall’s openable façades allow the boundaries between interior and exterior to blur, fostering dynamic interactions with the courtyard. By eliminating the concept of a “back” side, the building communicates equally with all surrounding spaces, honoring Posenenske’s architectural intent.

Materiality and Architectural Language

The hall presents itself as a refined wooden pavilion, contrasting with the Art Academy while subtly referencing its most striking elements. Its dark wooden façade echoes the hue of the original steel structure, while the exposed glulam columns, beams, and cross-laminated timber panels reflect contemporary sustainable construction techniques. Raw, untreated wood surfaces inside harmonize with the existing building’s saw-rough concrete textures, creating a tactile and visually cohesive environment.

Innovative Lighting and Sustainability

A defining feature of the hall is its upper wall light lenses. The 864 specially curved glass elements diffuse natural light throughout the interior, giving the space a luminous, inviting atmosphere. Constructed entirely of wood, the hall exemplifies sustainable architecture, utilizing glulam for cylindrical components and CLT panels for flat elements, with handcrafted joints ensuring precision and structural integrity. This combination of ecological responsibility, functionality, and aesthetic clarity sets a benchmark for contemporary exhibition design.

The Exhibition Hall Kassel is more than an addition to the Art Academy—it is a flexible, environmentally conscious, and contextually sensitive space. By integrating innovative timber construction, adaptable interiors, and seamless site integration, Innauer-Matt Architekten have created a pavilion that celebrates Kassel’s cultural heritage while looking confidently toward the future.

All photographs are works of Nicolas Wefers