Collecting is a strange addiction. As collectors, we always find an underlying argument to preserve things we like. Artur Walther wanted to find a way to share his personal art collection with the public.

German born, New York based collector and former investment banker, Artur Walther, converted three of his family homes into a private museum to exhibit The Walther Collection. The Walther Collection’s three exhibition buildings—White Box, Green House, and the Black House opened in June 2010, in Burlafingen, near Ulm, Southern Germany.

The White Box, designed by German architect Braungerr Wörtz, honors the spirit of minimalism. Severely stripped of details, the space is calm and pale. The concrete material was not intended to remain beyond the construction phase. Artur Walther liked the raw concrete of the ceiling and walls so much that it ultimately remained exposed, as a design element. The Black House stands quietly, in the green pasture like a dark chocolate cake. Undeniably charming.

Reaching collector status had once a constructive meaning in my life. Inventory no longer makes my heart flip-flop. That’s a relief. (Thank you, Eili!)