Portikus, exhibition hall for Kasper König, 1987 - 2004
The memorial - a remnant of the neoclassical city library from 1825 and a remnant of the Second World War - had consisted of a portico with 6 Corinthian columns since 1954. In 1987, the city of Frankfurt erected a temporary exhibition hall at this remarkable location in Frankfurt for the well-known exhibition organizer Kasper König. After 17 years, it was demolished, leaving a huge gap - and not just in the Frankfurt art scene.
When the Kunsthalle was built, the memorial remained untouched - only the entrance wall was used. In order to avoid the Wallservitut (protection of the site by building on it), the building was only approved for two years as a "flying building" and then extended annually. The wooden skeleton structure behind the portico was clad with trapezoidal sheet metal, emphasizing its anonymity. Inside, the exhibition building was given a contemporary museum interior.
The building was demolished in 2004 and subsequently rebuilt in a historicizing style based on the model of the 1825 municipal library. It now houses the Literaturhaus der Stadt Frankfurt.
A replacement for the exhibition hall was created 100 m further on. Typologically placed prominently in the middle of the Alte Brücke as a medieval residential building, it copied the proportions of the famous Kunsthalle. The name 'Portikus' was also transferred 1:1 to the new building. However, it has no feature that would justify this name - extremely confusing for art and architecture lovers.
Today - after almost 3 decades - the myth of the original location still exists.
Building owner 1987 - 2004 FAAG City of Frankfurt, architect: Marie-Theres Deutsch Architekten BDA with K.Dreißigacker, (LPH 1-9). Gross floor area: 300 m²
The interior of the Portikus from 1987 was recreated for the work "Yellow Curve" by Ellsworth Kelly.
