Leasehold for 99 years: milestone for nationwide migration museum
22 March 2024
- Cologne City Council orders heritable building right for DOMiD gGmbH
- Nationwide migration museum to be built in "Halle 70"
- Prerequisite for Europe-wide architectural competition
- Opening planned for 2029
Cologne, 22.03.2023 - At its meeting yesterday, the Cologne City Council voted in favor of granting the heritable building right for "Halle 70" at Hallen Kalk to DOMiD gGmbH. The land and building can be used for the operation of the nationwide migration museum in Cologne-Kalk for a period of 99 years. This was preceded by lengthy negotiations between the sponsors and the City of Cologne. The new timetable that became necessary as a result envisages an opening in 2029. The council's decision sets the course for important further planning steps.
"When we started our collection on the history of migration in a small garage in Essen in 1990, it was a lofty dream that we would one day be able to open a nationwide museum. This dream has now come a little closer. I am convinced that the museum will bring us closer together again as a society," says Ahmet Sezer, board member and co-founder of DOMiD.
The City of Cologne's contribution to the museum:
Provision of the land and the building
In 2018, the Cologne Integration Council proposed the establishment of the Migration Museum in Cologne. In 2019, the location was chosen: the approximately 10,000 square meter former factory hall 70 of the former KHD-Werke in Cologne Kalk. DOMiD was thus established as a central anchor point for the development of the "Hallen Kalk" - together with a cultural quarter in the so-called Osthof and a multifunctional "Veedelshalle" in the west. The City of Cologne is supporting the Migration Museum by providing the land and building. In return, a heritable building right will be granted to the operator, DOMiD gGmbH, for a period of 99 years. The federal government and the state of North Rhine-Westphalia are also providing funding for the construction investment costs of 44.26 million euros. William Wolfgramm, Head of Real Estate of the City of Cologne, emphasizes: "The Hallen Kalk site will revitalize the south of Kalk and activate the potential of the district. With DOMiD as a permanent anchor in the center, a nationally important educational and cultural institution is settling here and making a significant contribution to the site's use as a valuable cultural quarter. As the City of Cologne, we are delighted to be able to make an important contribution to securing this highly regarded museum project by acquiring the heritable building right. Art, culture, the creative industries and the entire city district will benefit from the transformation of the old industrial site."
Planning can now pick up speed
"The council's decision finally allows us to initiate the next planning steps," says Dr. Robert Fuchs, Managing Director of DOMiD gGmbH. "The next step will be to invite tenders for an external project management company, which will work with us to launch a Europe-wide architectural competition. We are proud to be able to realize this flagship museum project in Cologne."
DOMiD is currently in constructive talks with the City of Cologne about the recent water damage in the hall.
New timeline: opening planned for 2029
DOMiD has been able to make decisive progress with the planning of the museum in recent years.
Spatial concepts, usage scenarios and central conceptual considerations have been developed in an overall concept. This completed the needs assessment, which forms the basis for the upcoming architectural competition. In parallel, the participatory project "DOMiDLabs" has so far tested design strategies for exhibitions in the museum in three laboratories in collaboration with the urban community. The leasehold agreement that has now been approved makes it possible to plan the upcoming planning and construction phases in more detail. Subject to external factors, this envisages the museum opening in 2029.
More press information