With a height of up to 8.2 m, the exhibition space is naturally lighted via 195 circular skylights. The roof, with a glass and concrete dome, forms a grassed mound in the courtyard. As a means of access, the architects complemented the existing stairs in the Main embankment wing of the museum with additional flights, so that the spatial structure now extends quite naturally into the new gallery. With the dome rising to a height of 2.26 m, the roof shell over the garden hall (see also pages 361, 366) is borne solely by 12 columns and the peripheral concrete walls. Cold-formed, convex glass skylights with diameters of 1.5–2.7 m ensure a high level of natural light. Direct insolation is prevented by an internal shading system. Artificial lighting has also been unobtrusively integrated. Beneath the skylights is a white translucent mesh. Separated from the walls, in which the columns are concealed, the white ceiling has a lightweight, floating quality. Hung with works of art, the space can now be perceived in its true form, and the extension enters into a dialogue with the existing buildings.
