Quiet Infrastructure: A Sustainable Storage Facility for Art and Archives

Following an intensive planning phase, construction has officially begun on a centralized art storage facility in Darmstadt. As of this week, the site signage is in place, and the first stages of earthwork are underway.

Commissioned by the City of Darmstadt’s urban development agency and designed by 1100 Architect, the new four-story facility—measuring approximately 24 meters wide, 52 meters long, and 17 meters high—will provide secure, climate-controlled storage for a wide range of artworks and cultural artifacts, including paintings, sculptures, photographs, film, and archival materials on paper.

To safeguard these sensitive objects, the building will be equipped with a highly insulated envelope and finely tuned ventilation systems, creating stable microclimates tailored to the specific needs of each storage zone.

Sustainability is a core priority: a photovoltaic array on the green roof will generate renewable energy, enabling climate-neutral operation. Architecturally, vertical rainwater downpipes articulate the façade, while a planted green wall on the southern elevation serves as a natural thermal buffer. Completion is scheduled for 2023.