The Julia Stoschek Collection is a private art collection with locations in Düsseldorf (since 2007) and Berlin (since 2016). It took several years before the collection gained recognition in Berlin—but in 2021, it and the building housing its capital city location received a BDA Award. Julia Stoschek has assembled a collection of contemporary art, specifically media and video art, that commands attention. Internationally renowned artists are represented here, from Abramović to Zielony.

Once a suitable building was identified, Berlin-based architect Johanna Meyer-Grohbrügge was commissioned to oversee its renovation and conversion. The building is located at Leipziger Straße 60, directly on the corner of Jerusalemer Straße. During the GDR era, it housed the Czech Cultural Institute; after reunification, it stood vacant for many years. Meyer-Grohbrügge developed a concept for this 1960s-era structure. It was in urgent need of renovation, and its fully glazed facade coupled with its fragmented floor plan presented significant challenges. The building comprises three floors accommodating exhibition spaces, offices, and a modest artist residence in the mezzanine. Blackening selected spaces, establishing clear circulation paths, and projecting a new identity outward were requirements fulfilled through a single architectural element. A curtain folds from outside to inside, marking the threshold between light and darkness. In total, 3,000 m² of space is available. This allows the non-darkened rooms with exterior views to serve as event spaces and as rest and orientation areas during exhibitions. A series of custom furniture pieces was designed for these spaces and the office. Minimal intervention was made to the building structure itself beyond necessary restoration work, as it was initially unclear whether a long-term or short-term lease would be signed. Now, however, it appears certain: the Julia Stoschek Collection is here to stay.

www.meyer-grohbruegge.com

Photography Credits:

Jan Bitter
www.janbitter.de

Stephan Bögel
www.stephanboegel.com

Thomas Meyer
www.thomas-meyer.com

(Published in CUBE Berlin 01|22)