Löwenbräukunst

The Löwenbräukunst complex in Zurich is a central hub for contemporary art and culture. In the historic premises of the former brewery, renowned institutions, museums, and galleries come together to present a diverse and dynamic program.

Löwenbräukunst is home to the Museum Haus Konstruktiv, dedicated to concrete, constructive, and conceptual art, as well as Luma Westbau, which hosts changing exhibitions featuring current positions in the international art scene. Also part of the complex is the Migros Museum of Contemporary Art, which presents and collects a broad spectrum of contemporary artistic practices. The Kunsthalle Zürich stages pioneering exhibitions and fosters dialogue on new artistic developments. The internationally acclaimed gallery Hauser & Wirth represents another key presence within the complex. The program is complemented by Edition VFO – Verein für Originalgrafik, which is dedicated to promoting and disseminating original graphic art.

Together, these institutions form a unique center for contemporary art that extends far beyond Zurich, making a vital contribution to the city’s cultural diversity.

The development of the Löwenbräukunst site

The Löwenbräu Art District emerged in 1996 within the former brewery buildings, some more than a century old, as growing global interest in contemporary art rapidly transformed the site into a major cultural centre with an international reputation. The relocation of the Kunsthalle Zürich, the newly established Migros Museum of Contemporary Art, the Daros Collection and several distinguished private galleries laid the foundations for its enduring success.
To safeguard the artistic use of the site, Zurich’s municipal council adopted a private development plan in November 2005 providing for a mixed-use complex of cultural, commercial, office and residential spaces. As the existing tenants held only temporary leases from the owner, PSP, the future of the art cluster remained uncertain.

Engagement City of Zurich

Against this backdrop, several art institutions approached the City of Zurich in February 2005 to explore a sustainable strategy for securing the district’s long-term future. Following a joint commitment by all tenants in June of that year, a preservation project for the Löwenbräu Art District was formally launched.
In January 2007, after extensive preparatory work, the City Council resolved to preserve the cluster and appointed a municipal project team to implement the plan. The financial crisis of 2008 nearly derailed the initiative, making it necessary to establish a new ownership structure at short notice. In early summer 2012, the newly created Löwenbräu-Kunst AG—comprising the two institutional tenants, Kunsthalle Zürich and the Migros Museum (represented respectively by the Stiftung Kunsthalle Zürich and Liegenschaften-Betrieb AG), together with the City of Zurich—acquired the property and buildings, including their partial refurbishment, from PSP. Each shareholder contributed one third of the company’s share capital of CHF 27 million. The company’s statutes define its purpose as “the operation of a centre for artistic and cultural activities”.
The renovation of the historic, partly listed buildings, the construction of the new West Wing and the extension above the Kunsthalle brought the exhibition spaces up to contemporary standards and substantially increased their size. A new central hall, featuring generous staircases and lifts, now links all exhibition areas in both the old and new structures. Accessible from Limmatstrasse and from the courtyard via a covered outdoor area, it also serves as a venue for exhibitions and public events.
The new additions interlock with the historic fabric to form a unified architectural composition. While the original buildings are characterised by coloured clinker brickwork and richly detailed façades, the new elements are cast in brilliant white concrete, with sharply defined volumes and few openings. Along Limmatstrasse, the abstract white façade of the extension contrasts strikingly with the ornamented historic buildings and provides a surface for artistic interventions. The extension has also endowed the complex with a distinctive and readily recognisable presence in the urban landscape.
Two years after the laying of the foundation stone, Löwenbräu-Kunst AG completed the purchase of the site from PSP Properties AG in June 2012 and concluded new leases with all tenants for the fully refurbished premises. The renewed art centre reopened to its occupants and the public at the end of August 2012.

Repositioning and Brand

In 2018, the district underwent a strategic repositioning in response to changes in the art market and Zurich’s cultural landscape. A shared umbrella brand, Löwenbräukunst, together with architectural improvements, enhanced the site’s visibility. A new central entrance with social spaces and dining facilities was created, while an additional barrier-free circulation system improved access to all floors and entrances.
With the arrival of the Museum Haus Konstruktiv in 2025, the Löwenbräu Art District has further established itself as a unique cultural destination, bringing together art institutions of the highest calibre.

Current institutions: Edition VFO; Hauser & Wirth; Kunsthalle Zürich; Luma Westbau; Migros Culture Percentage and Migros Engagement; Migros Museum of Contemporary Art; Museum Haus Konstruktiv.

Dining: Buonvicini AG (Bistro LOI).

Why we need to act

Through sustainable measures, Löwenbräukunst aims to make a significant contribution to societal transformation. The focus is on ecological priorities, with increased utilization and activation of public spaces.

The entire lighting system in the public areas of the Löwenbräukunst site has been converted to energy-saving LED technology.

Photovoltaic System on the Roof of Löwenbräukunst
Energy Dashboard
The current production (blue) shows the electricity we generate ourselves from the rooftop solar panels. From this, the current consumption (yellow) is subtracted, and the resulting balance represents either the feed-in (green) to the EWZ grid or the consumption (−) from the EWZ grid (green).
The graph displays the past 24 hours, indicating the times and amounts when the building is feeding electricity into the EWZ grid (green area above the zero axis) or drawing electricity from the EWZ grid (green area below the zero axis).
The photovoltaic systems on the roof can generate up to a maximum of 1.4 MWh per day in sunny conditions and together cover approximately 1,300 m² of the roof area.

Catering
For catering, Löwenbräukunst relies on regional and organic suppliers. With LOI bistro, the food on offer in house for staff and visitors is entirely vegetarian and vegan.

Partners
Wherever possible, Löwenbräukunst works with partner companies that practice sustainable and fair production methods.

Löwenbräukunst is Member of the Gallery Climate Coalition (GCC), an international network of art organisations committed to reducing the industry's environmental impact.
GCC’s primary goal is to facilitate a reduction of the sector’s CO2e emissions by a minimum of 50% by 2030, as well as promoting zero waste.

For our Löwenbräukunst beers we work with the local brewery Erusbacher & Paul. During the construction of their new brewery, great importance was attached to resource-saving operating processes and energy-saving measures. As one of the leaders in the industry, over 99% of all beers are filled in environmentally friendly returnable containers.