Happy RIZZI House, Pop art building in Brunswick, Germany

The Happy RIZZI House is a five-story office building at Ackerhof, its facades painted in two- and three-dimensional Pop Art by James Rizzi and realised by architect Konrad Kloster. Nine connected building sections form the structure, whose most frequent motif is smiling faces, alongside hearts, eyes, stars and birds. The New Yorker fashion company's red logo hangs above the main entrance.

The idea for the house arose in 1997 on the initiative of Braunschweig gallery owner Olaf Jaeschke. The foundation stone was laid by Lower Saxony's Minister-President Gerhard Glogowski during the 26th Magnifest on 3 September 1999. After two years of construction, the building of nine connected sections was completed in 2001, closing the northern edge of the Magniviertel that had been open since the end of the Second World War.

The structure merges American pop art with local architectural traditions in a playful way. Visitors can see how contemporary art movements can occupy space within historic city districts.

The building is free to view from the outside and sits within walking distance of other sights in the old town. The best vantage point is the immediate area surrounding the structure, where you can take in the entire colorful facade.

The building was designed by American artist James Rizzi, who transformed his artistic vision into a fully functioning structure. It is one of only a few projects worldwide where a renowned pop artist shaped the entire appearance of an operating commercial building.