The city authorities considered the gradual stagnation of the economic situation in Herford to be dangerous, and decided at the same time to give an incentive to both the tourism industry (the "effect" of the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao of the same Gehry) and the production of furniture.
The furniture industry is a city-forming industry there, therefore, a "forum" of furniture manufacturers is included in the complex of the new museum, where they can exhibit their products, which will contribute to increased competition and production growth.
Therefore, the name of the new center - MARTa - is made up of the German word "furniture" and the English word "art".
The building's red brick walls are inspired by the city's traditional residential architecture. Thanks to this, despite its unusual shape, the museum easily fit into the historical buildings.
The exhibition spaces consist of a 22 m high "cathedral" and four smaller halls, illuminated through a glass roof. On an area of 2500 sq. m will house the works of Giorgio de Chirico, Louise Bourgeois and Anselm Kiefer.
The cost of the complex is 29 million euros (37.53 million dollars), the expected income is 3 million euros per year.
