Dec 05
One of our most-clicked recent stories is the Zayed National Museum by Foster + Partners, so this week here’s a roundup of all the museums we’ve published on Dezeen. See all the stories »
Nov 25
Foster + Partners have unveiled designs for a museum on Saadiyat Island in Abu Dhabi.
The Zayed National Mueum will feature five lightweight steel towers resembling birds’ wings, set within a landscaped mound with gallery spaces located at ground level.
The latticed towers will be designed to act as thermal chimneys that will draw cool air into the spaces below, whilst cooling pipes buried beneath will release fresh air into the lobby.
Named after UAE founder Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the museum will be dedicated to the history and culture of the country.
The museum is the latest superstar-designed building to be unveiled for Saadiyat Island cultural district; a performing arts centre by Zaha Hadid, a Guggenheim by Frank Gehry, a branch of the Louvre museum by Jean Nouvel and a maritime museum by Tadao Ando are already underway.
See the Masdar Institute by Foster which was opened in Abu Dhabi two days ago in our earlier story.
The following information is from Foster + Partners:
Designs for Zayed National Museum in Abu Dhabi revealed
Designs for the Zayed National Museum have been officially unveiled today by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai and Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom. Conceived as a monument and memorial to the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the founding president of the UAE, the Museum will be the centrepiece of the Saadiyat Island Cultural District and will showcase the history, culture and more recently the social and economic transformation of the Emirates.
Architecturally, the aim has been to combine a highly efficient, contemporary form with elements of traditional Arabic design and hospitality to create a museum that is sustainable, welcoming and culturally of its place. Celebrating Sheikh Zayed’s legacy and love of nature, the museum is set within a landscaped garden, based on a timeline of his life.
The display spaces are housed within a man-made, landscaped mound. The galleries are placed at the bases of five solar thermal towers. The towers heat up and act as thermal chimneys to draw cooling air currents naturally through the museum. Fresh air is captured at low level and drawn through buried ground-cooling pipes and then released into the museum’s lobby. The heat at the top of the towers works to draw the air up vertically through the galleries due to the thermal stack effect. Air vents open at the top of the wing-shaped towers taking advantage of the negative pressure on the lee of the wing profile to draw the hot air out.
Here in the museum these towers are lightweight steel structures, sculpted aerodynamically to work like the feathers of a bird’s wing. The analogies with falcons and flight are deliberate and relate directly to Sheikh Zayed’s love of falconry. This theme is further celebrated by a gallery devoted to the subject as part of a wider focus on conservation. These inner spaces open up to an outdoor arena for live displays with hunting birds.
Balancing the lightweight steel structures with a more monumental interior experience, the galleries are anchored by a dramatic top-lit central lobby, which is dug into the earth to exploit its thermal properties and brings together shops, cafes, an auditorium and informal venues for performances of poetry and dance. Throughout, the treatment of light and shade draws on a tradition of discreet, carefully positioned openings, which capture and direct the region’s intense sunlight to illuminate and animate these interior spaces. Objects are displayed within niches and on stone plinths that rise seamlessly from the floor.
The museum contains a variety of performance spaces. A large auditorium, lined with Emirati textiles, provides an evocative setting for presentations and films. The lobby incorporates more informal venues for poetry readings, music and dance, where the audience can gather in a circle to enjoy the spectacle and atmosphere of traditional performances.
The interior concept for the restaurant draws on the opulence and hospitality of the Bedouin tent, with carefully selected furnishings. The majlis, or VIP spaces, open onto a central courtyard. This traditional space offers guests a unique perspective, as it is the only place in the museum where one can enjoy views of the wind towers.
Lord Foster said: “It has been a great privilege to work on the Zayed National Museum, to carry forward Sheikh Zayed’s vision and to communicate the dynamic character of a contemporary United Arab Emirates. We have sought to establish a building that will be an exemplar of sustainable design, resonating with Sheikh Zayed’s love of nature and his wider heritage.”
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| Gehry, Nouvel, Ando, Hadid build in Abu Dhabi | Jean Nouvel in Abu Dhabi | Zaha Hadid in Abu Dhabi |
Nov 17
American studio Michael Graves & Associates have completed a new building to house over 230 cars of the Dutch national automobile museum in the Hague.
The new home for the Louwman Museum features peaked roofs and dormer windows in sympathy with traditional architecture in the area and attempts to resemble a traditional carriage house.
The facade is made of basket weave-patterned brickwork with bluestone details and a slate roof.
The building comprises an auditorium, restaurant, workshops, conference facilities and exhibition spaces.
The 185,000 square-foot building houses the largest collection of automotive art in the world.
Here’s some more information from the architects:
National Automobile Museum, designed by Michael Graves & Associates, opens in the Netherlands
Building’s Understated Elegance Gives Center Stage to Remarkable Collection
THE HAGUE, NETHERLANDS – Michael Graves & Associates, architects of more than 350 major buildings around the world, have just finished work on The Louwman Collection, the National Automobile Museum of the Netherlands. The project was designed by MGA Principal and Studio Head Gary Lapera, AIA.
Speaking of the firm’s interest in museum design, Founding Principal Michael Graves remarks, “For an architect, museums are certainly among the most gratifying commissions one can receive—they give you a chance to contribute to cultural history and to the public’s shared experience of that history. We’ve been fortunate to have designed a variety of museums over the years.” Says Gary Lapera, “In designing this particular museum, we were greatly influenced by the character of the historical and physical context, and endeavored to give this institution a presence with a unique sense of place.”
The 185,000-square-foot building contains temporary and permanent exhibition galleries, a reception hall, conference facilities, an auditorium, food service facilities, and workshops for conservation and repair of cars. A gift to the people of the Netherlands, the Louwman Collection is a public showcase of selections from collector Evert Louwman’s extraordinary vintage automobile collection. In addition, the National Automobile Museum of the Netherlands is home to the world’s largest collection of automotive art.
The museum’s simple design vocabulary and massing compliment its historic surroundings: located on a sensitive site near the Queen’s Palace in beautiful Den Haag. Steeply sloped peaked roofs and dormers, characteristic of traditional Dutch architecture, give the building’s exterior the visual aspect of a typical pre-modern carriage house, while breaking down the scale of the overall composition to be sympathetic to a nearby residential district.
The brickwork of the facades, laid in a basket-weave pattern interspersed with projecting bricks, creates textural interest within the otherwise planar surfaces, and is complemented by bluestone detailing and slate roofs. Inside, the Great Hall—a large barrel-vaulted space—creates an east-west spine through the building, separating the double-height volume of the exhibit area from the lower-scaled U-shaped public spaces that define the entry court.
To the rear of the site, a small octagonal pavilion used as a special gallery is located along the axis of an existing allée of trees in Haagsche Bos park. A quiet, contemplative space well suited to its site, the pavilion gracefully exerts a formal but tranquil presence on its serene setting.
About Michael Graves & Associates
Michael Graves & Associates has been in the forefront of architecture and design since AIA Gold Medalist Michael Graves founded his practice in 1964. Today, the practice comprises two firms run by 8 Principals.
Michael Graves & Associates (MGA) provides planning, architecture and interior design services, and Michael Graves Design Group (MGDG) specializes in product design, graphics and branding. MGA has designed many master plans and the architecture and interiors of over 350 buildings worldwide, including hotels and resorts, restaurants, retail stores, civic and cultural projects, office buildings, healthcare, residences and a wide variety of academic facilities.
MGDG has designed and brought to market over 2,000 products for clients such as Target, Alessi, Stryker and Disney. Graves and the firms have received over 200 awards for design excellence. With our unique, highly integrated multidisciplinary practice, the Michael Graves Companies offer strategic advantages to clients worldwide.
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| Autostella by Supermachine Studio | Porsche Museum by Delugan Meissl | Automobile Museum by 3GATTI Architecture Studio |
Nov 15
Zaha Hadid Architects have unveiled their design for the largest cultural building in China, to be located in Chengdu in Sichuan Province.
The Chengdu Contemporary Art Centre will comprise three auditoria, an art museum, exhibition space and conference centre, plus restaurants, bars and shops.
The facade will be covered in criss-crossing louvres to provide shade from the sun.
All our stories about Zaha Hadid »
The following information is from Zaha Hadid Architects:
CHENGDU CONTEMPORARY ART CENTRE [CHENGDU, CHINA]
The result of an international design competition in 2007, Chengdu Contemporary Art Centre will be a new cultural destination for Sichuan Province and will provide Chengdu with an unprecedented collection of world-class arts, performance, leisure, and congress venues.
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CCAC will be a regional art and music centre of international standing. CCAC accommodates three auditoria, an art museum, an exhibition centre, a conference centre, a learning centre, bars, restaurants and shops. The largest of the three halls, a multifunctional theatre, seats up to 2,000 people.
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The second hall caters for lyrical theatre and music events, with a seating arrangement of up to 870 people. The third auditorium will be used as a music hall. Designed for natural acoustic, this hall will provide space for an audience of up to 1,000.
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The conference centre comprises 8,000m2, which can be separated into 16 equal and independent accessible conference rooms. A flexible 10,000m2 exhibition centre is located at the main entrance level.
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The art museum comprises approximately 15,000m2 net exhibition area which is located below the roof and will take advantage of natural lit exhibition spaces. Our design aims to resolve the complexities of the programme, while combining spatial clarity with the design of a unique and iconic structure.
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The undulating building geometry suggests a rolling landscape, inspired by the topography of Sichuan Province. CCAC’s elongated design will contrast the vertical tower structures surrounding the site. Its soaring aerodynamic shape and Yin Yang like shape evokes traditional Chinese symbols.
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The new building is characterised by its aerodynamic geometry and flexible performance spaces. Adjacent to CCAC, extensive new landscaping is designed to strengthen the links with the urban fabric. The design of the space adjacent to the building is an integral part of the architectural design.
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Our proposal for the 140,000m2 landscape area complements the exhibition building and creates a welcoming public realm within a diffuse and peripheral surrounding. Our proposal for the new Chengdu Contemporary Art Centre is a unique structure with a strong sense of identity and character. From afar, it is highly identifiable and offers a strong image and orientation.
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Built in close proximity to Chengdu City Centre, this scheme for a 200,000m2 performance, arts, and congress complex will consolidate Chengdu’s reputation as a cultural destination while providing an iconic architectural image for the city.
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The architectural concept has been developed in response to articulate the client’s programme and the urban parameters. CCAC thereby forms a graceful, iconic landmark for the city of Chengdu.
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The concept for CCAC is to use the most advanced architectural and engineering technologies in response to the brief, to create a visually striking new landmark that will act as a gateway to the city. With its informal atmosphere and unrivalled views out across the landscaping, CCAC should become one of the city’s great social spaces as well as a regional cultural centre of international standing.
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Zaha Hadid Architects design concept originates from an understanding of the urban dynamics and the client’s programme. Rising to a height of 70 meters, the building’s undulating form creates its own distinctive profile within an emerging cluster of tall buildings. In contrast to the neighbouring high-rise buildings, the 470m elongated structure extends almost parallel to Tianfu Avenue.
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Metaphorically speaking, the building’s elongated, curvilinear shape appears like a rolling landscape, inspired by the topography of Sichuan Province. The undulating shell has been designed in response to articulate the programme. Geometrically speaking, the shape has been derived by twisting a rectangular tube, creating three distinct programmatic areas. The lowest part, the centre of the building, accommodates the main atrium. The head to the north accommodates all performance and art related areas. The tail to the south accommodates the conference centre and the exhibition centre.
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Adjacent to the building, over 60 per cent of the remaining site is given over to parkland; the informal planting of mature trees creates the impression of a wooded environment adjacent to the eastern site border. The structure is set back from the street to create a generous public realm. The building complements the opposite Aquarium, creating an urban plaza with a central fountain.
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A water amphitheatre forms the focus of the site northern edge. The use of an orthogonal, repetitive plan and structural system for the back of house areas will help for the use of standardized components and to simplify the construction process.
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The façade has been designed to articulate the programme and to emphasize the iconic structure. The shingle-like glazing will create an ever changing appearance once moving around the building. The gradually changing louvers are designed to maximize the views and to minimize solar gain.
See also:
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| Evelyn Grace Academy by Zaha Hadid | King Abdullah II House of Culture & Art by Zaha Hadid | Eli & Edythe Broad Art Museum by Zaha Hadid |
Nov 06
Architecture student Gonzalo Vaíllo Martínez of the Universidad de Alcalá, Spain has designed a conceptual auditorium for the Tate Modern gallery in London.
Called The Cave, the design features a series of overlapping planted ramps, which would form the foyer and access routes into an underground auditorium.
The proposal intends to connect the Tate Modern with other landmarks in the area and incorporates the creation of a new park.
The project begun during an exchange programme with the Bartlett School of Architecture in London.
Here’s some more information from Martínez:
ORDINATION OF THE AREA AND NEW AUDITORIUM OF THE TATE MODERN
This is the Degree Project of Gonzalo Vaíllo Martínez. It was presented last September 2010 in the Universidad de Alcalá (Spain) with a mark of A.
The work was begun during an exchange program with the Professor Colin Fournier of the Bartlett School of Architecture and it was carried on with the tutor Ángel Verdasco Novalvos.
The project is focused on three essential parameters of London: the green areas, the icons and landmarks and the pedestrians. What it is searched is to recover the figure of the pedestrians and involve them again in the city. The public space is the basic network for getting it.
Focused on the Tate Modern as an icon which is isolated in its environment (particularly its back side), the project works in two overlapped scales: the necessity to connect the Tate with others landmarks and its own renovation and adaptation for the new social demands.
A new park is created whit the intention of solving it and a new auditorium was included.
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Taking into account the important of the chimney in the skyline of London the new auditorium is buried for preserving the views over it.
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This produces an inversion of the normal program of an auditorium, so the accesses and foyers are now over the music halls in directly relationship with the park and its new topography.
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The auditorium is made up of three different halls, which have the same stage.
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This produces that every kind of performance can be showed whit simple mechanical partitions depending on the capacity necessity.
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The three halls are covered by huge concrete beams, which at the same time are covered by other smaller beams. 
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Between them the public program of accesses, tickets and multifunctional rooms are developed.
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Over them, a new topography creates the green roof, which is part of the park.
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| Nature Centre by EFFEKT | Ferry Terminal by C. F. Møller | Opera House Oslo by Snøhetta 2 |
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