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Visionary design under one roof
Visionary Design Under One Roof
A Modern, Airy Structure
The Dornier Museum stands out with its modern, open architectural design, showcasing technological progress in an authentic setting. The museum’s floor plan, inspired by a hangar, extends as a branch from the runway of Friedrichshafen Airport. This newly constructed building offers approximately 5,000 square meters of exhibition space, set within a 25,000 square meter landscape park. Inside the hangar, aircraft are displayed spaciously across 2,500 square meters of exhibition area.
Friedrichshafen on Lake Constance, the birthplace of Dornier, provides the ideal location for the museum.
"I am fascinated by the view from above. The connection between past and present at this site formed the basis of our design, leading to the metaphor of the branching runway."
— Prof. Markus Allmann, Allmann Sattler Wappner Architekten
Inspired by reality
The museum’s contemporary and minimalist architecture provides a unique and, above all, authentic setting for the Dornier heritage. The floor plan, shaped like a hangar, symbolically extends as a branch from the runway of Friedrichshafen Airport.
This design masterfully meets two distinct exhibition requirements: the spacious Hangar accommodates numerous original aircraft, while the museum’s central element, which is a seemingly floating exhibition box above the foyer, forms the heart of the collection. Here, visitors gain insight into the extensive legacy that has linked the Dornier name to aviation and space history for over a century.
Friedrichshafen, the birthplace of Dornier, is the ideal location for this museum. Its direct connection to Friedrichshafen Airport allows visitors to experience the evolution of aviation—from its pioneering days to modern air travel—up close.
Architecture: Allmann Sattler Wappner Architekten
James Turrell
Renowned internationally as a master of space and light, James Turrell has created a custom light installation exclusively for the Dornier Museum.
For Turrell, flying has been a lifelong passion since his youth. The way light is perceived "up there" has profoundly influenced both his artistic vision and his work. His installations transport viewers into a realm of pure imagination and sensory experience. The fascination with light as a phenomenon is always intertwined with a meditative exploration of humanity’s place in the universe.
Beyond his artistic endeavors, Turrell is also dedicated to restoring historic aircraft and is currently working on a Do 27 as a personal project.
“My work is about space and the light that inhabits it. It is about how you can confront that space and plumb it. It is about your seeing, like the wordless thought that comes from looking into a fire.” James Turrell
The Dornier Museum
