The Figge Art Museum in Davenport, Iowa, celebrates a milestone since its completion in 2005. To mark the anniversary the museum is hosting a series of events, performances and classes, concluding with an online ceremony on 21 August that includes a speech by David Chipperfield.
The building was one of the practice’s first commissions in the United States and was conceived as a monolithic glass structure on Davenport’s redeveloped waterfront. It was envisioned as a catalyst in an urban regeneration programme, reconnecting the city to the river. In addition to exhibition spaces, the building hosts a range of educational facilities for community events, such as studios, library facilities and an auditorium. The design encourages the overlap of these functions and creates a public route through the building. Last year, the museum received 86,000 visitors and over 20,000 students took part in the education programme.
Image © Christian Richters