Design by Bjarke Ingels Group wins competition for Kühne Opera
Bjarke Ingels Group Selected to Design Hamburg‘s New Kühne Opera
HAMBURG, GERMANY – November 13, 2025 – Teh Bjarke ingels Group (BIG), a Danish architecture firm, has won the international competition to design Hamburg’s new opera house, funded largely by the Kühne Foundation. The selection culminates a period of debate surrounding the project’s financing and the legacy of the foundation’s founder.
the new opera house aims to revitalize hamburg’s cultural landscape with a design characterized by warm wood and organic shapes.Though, the project has faced scrutiny due to concerns about the selection process and allegations regarding the past of Klaus-Michael Kühne’s family buisness. The Kühne Foundation is providing substantial financial backing for the construction, with the city of Hamburg retaining ownership of the completed building.
In February 2025, Hamburg city officials and the Kühne Foundation formalized an agreement to proceed with the opera’s construction. The deal stipulates that the city will cover the costs associated with preparing the land for the building, while the foundation will primarily finance the construction itself. Senator for Culture Carsten Brosda emphasized the foundation bears the financial risk, not the city. Construction is tentatively scheduled to begin in 2030.
The competition and subsequent selection have not been without controversy. Critics initially questioned the limited number of firms invited to participate and raised concerns about Kühne’s family business history, specifically allegations concerning its involvement during the Nazi era. The foundation has not publicly addressed these claims in detail.