Michael Eichhorn
February 19, 1953 – July 18, 2026
It is with profound sadness that we announce that our esteemed colleague Michael Eichhorn passed away on July 18, 2026.
Michael Eichhorn was born on February 19, 1953, and studied architecture and sculpture in Cologne. Among the many and varied projects he undertook throughout his career, his work as construction manager for the Haus der Geschichte in Bonn was particularly noteworthy. There, from 1993 to 1994, he coordinated the installation of the museum’s 5,000 m²permanent exhibition.
As a freelance sculptor, he worked for various municipalities and private clients, including Bankhaus Oppenheim & Cie. in Cologne and Hamburg, Benedikt Taschen Verlag, and the Bundeskunsthalle in Bonn.
He created the seven-meter-tall head sculpture “Il Colosso di Zoetermeer”, based on a design by the Dutch artist Rob Scholte, as well as several larger-than-life stone sculptures and two life-size sculptures of Abraham Oppenheim, which are now located in Cologne and Hamburg. He also designed the trophy for the Internationale Film- und Medienmusikpreis (International Film And Media Music Prize) who was presented every two years in Bonn.
Early on, he began incorporating computers and various 3D programs into the design process for physical three-dimensional objects. He also expanded his work to include the modeling of 3D objects created exclusively for the digital world. For example, he designed realistic models of human organs for a medical atlas. The client was ENTEC GmbH, a subsidiary of GMD – Gesellschaft Mathematischer Datenverarbeitung in St. Augustin (now the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft).
He taught three-dimensional design at KISD from 1994 to 2018.
One of his most remarkable projects was the digital reconstruction of Roman Cologne “Colonia 3D”. Together with students and collaborating partners such as the Archaeological Institute of the University of Cologne, the Hasso Plattner Institute at the University of Potsdam, and the Roman-Germanic Museum in Cologne, he developed a digital platform that allows users to explore Roman Cologne virtually and view highly detailed reconstructions of buildings, streets, and squares.
On July 18, 2026, Michael Eichhorn passed away after a serious illness.
Our heartfelt condolences go out to his family and all those close to him.
We mourn Michael and take comfort in knowing that his legacy will live on in our memories.