The James Simon Gallery is the new, impressive building constructed at the entrance of Museum Island in Berlin. The complex was built as a visitor reception and information center and provides a number of essential services for the other buildings on Museum Island. Besides the admissions cashier area, the Gallery's 4,600 m² includes a café, a store, a 300-seat conference room and a temporary exhibit room.
The gallery is named after James Henry Simon (1851-1932), an important patron of the arts during the Empire era, who gifted most of his art collections to museums in Berlin. The most famous piece is the bust of Nefertiti, discovered in 1913 during an excavation financed by Simon himself and now on display at the Neues Museum.  
The elegant colonnades of architectural concrete made with Dyckerhoff WEISS are the most distinctive feature of the structure, which was designed by the Chipperfield firm. 
The columns in the courtyard, the grand staircase, and the cladding on the terrace are also made with Dyckerhoff WEISS.
The precast elements in architectural concrete were supplied by the Dreßler Bau firm in Stockstadt. The marble chips added as an aggregate confer a cream color to the elements, which harmonizes well with the other buildings on Museum Island and meet the highest requirements for exposed concrete, with a sandblasted finish that vitalizes the appearance of the material used.

Photo:Dreßler Bau GmbH, Germany