The swinging movement of the forms is echoed in the loose arrangement of stones on the ground, and the undulating roofscape also reflects the adjacent course of the Aa river. Inside the museum, this continues: as dynamic spatial volumes with an almost dance-like choreography, the architecture transforms every exhibition into a unique spatial experience. In addition to the galleries, the Gehry building also includes the light-filled Marta Café with an outdoor terrace by the water, the museum shop, and an event forum. A completely different architectural language of straight lines and right angles opens up to visitors in the lobby. The core of the museum is an former textile factory of the Ahlers company, which was built in 1959 by Walter Lippold. Gehry left this building largely unchanged in its basic structure. While the first floor of this existing building houses additional exhibition spaces with the Lippold Gallery, above it are the Marta Studio, the Marta offices and seminar rooms, as well as the premises of the associations of the wood and furniture industry of North Rhine-Westphalia. With its opening in May 2005, the city of Herford also sent a clear signal for a future-oriented development of the station district. The sculptures around the Marta grounds are among the most important artworks in the city. In recent years, the museum has also contributed through its gradual expansion to visitors experiencing Marta as a vibrant meeting place. Thus, the Marta Studio on the second floor offers ideal conditions for a diverse workshop program in museum education. And the idyllic garden at the Marta Depot, designed by the renowned “atelier le balto”, invites visitors to a spontaneous stay with a view of the river at any time.