Preliminary project, 9 June 2000: An important phase in the run-up to the referendum of 3 and 4 March 2001.
 
What happens next

• The persons responsible will indicate their position on the preliminary project within a month.
• If they approve the preliminary project, the master plans can be prepared for the Grand Council or City Council . Deadline: November 2000.
• The master plan for the Canton of Bern Grand Council contains fundamental information and applications for cantonal contributions (50 per cent of the funds needed) to cover future running costs, planning and development and site acquisition.
• The master plan for the City Council corresponds largely to the plan for the Grand Council in terms of content since the City of Bern must provide the remaining 50 per cent of the funds required. A change in the zoning plan also has to be decided by the municipal authorities.
• Approval of these master plans by the Grand Council and City Council is imperative for the architectural project to move on to the phase of a building project, which will be presented to the public – again at an exhibition – in February 2001.
• In March 2001, the people must take a final decision by voting at the local level on the resolutions concerning the Zentrum Paul Klee (Paul Klee-Zentrum at the time) (see point 4). At cantonal level, the decision-making authority rests with the Grand Council (see point 3). Again the electorate may seek a referendum to overturn the decision of the Grand Council.
• The responsible bodies must then give their approval to the submission of an application for a building permit. The building authorisation procedure will begin before the end of March 2001.

If everything goes according to plan, building work will start in the spring of 2002, with the Zentrum Paul Klee ready for its official opening in 2005.