Art Cloud: Extension of Museum De Fundatie
The
courthouse was designed by the architect Eduard Louis de Coninck in
1938 in the neo-classical style. De Coninck intended this style of
architecture to symbolise the unity in the legislation of the new
kingdom. It has been extended with a spectacular volume on the roof of
the former Palace of Justice.
Architect: Bierman Henket architecten
Location: Blijmarkt 20, 8011NE Zwolle, Netherlands
Architect: Bierman Henket architecten
Location: Blijmarkt 20, 8011NE Zwolle, Netherlands
Photo: Joep Jacobs
Photo: Joep Jacobs
Photo: Joep Jacobs
Photo: Joep Jacobs
Museum
De Fundatie is situated on the border between the mediaeval city centre
and the open 19th century parkland with its canals. The building has a
double symmetry with a monumental entrance and a central entrance hall
extending over two floors. On the city side the free-standing building
is slightly recessed in relation to the unbroken, mediaeval façade of
Blijmarkt. Together with the classical façade structure of a tympanum on
Corinthian columns, this gives the building a solitary character
The building is also free-standing on the canal side, in the green zone of Potgietersingel. The canals were laid out as a public park in the English landscape style in the second half of the 19th century, following the demolition of the city walls. Due to its location the building became a link between two distinct worlds: one an inward-orientated, mediaeval, fortified city with a compact and static character and the other a 19th century park with an outward-orientated, dynamic character.
In 1977 the building ceased to function as a Palace of Justice and it was converted into offices for the Rijksplanologische Dienst, the government planning department. A mezzanine was constructed in the two high court rooms. Since 2005, following internal renovation by architect Gunnar Daan, the building has been the home of the museum.
The building is also free-standing on the canal side, in the green zone of Potgietersingel. The canals were laid out as a public park in the English landscape style in the second half of the 19th century, following the demolition of the city walls. Due to its location the building became a link between two distinct worlds: one an inward-orientated, mediaeval, fortified city with a compact and static character and the other a 19th century park with an outward-orientated, dynamic character.
In 1977 the building ceased to function as a Palace of Justice and it was converted into offices for the Rijksplanologische Dienst, the government planning department. A mezzanine was constructed in the two high court rooms. Since 2005, following internal renovation by architect Gunnar Daan, the building has been the home of the museum.
Photo: Joep Jacobs
Cross-section and connection to façade:
Bierman Henket architecten
Bierman Henket architecten
The
museum has an extraordinary collection including works by Rembrandt,
Saenredam, Turner, Monet, Rodin, Van Gogh, Mondrian and Van der Leck. In
addition, the museum organises modest, but much discussed exhibitions.
Under Ralph Keuning’s directorship these temporary exhibitions became so
successful that extension of the museum became unavoidable. Despite the
inherent problems of extending the palace in the historical city
centre, the museum resisted the temptation to abandon this national
monument and opted to extend it.
Architect Hubert-Jan Henket succeeded in persuading the client not to add an extension next to the existing building: This would have destroyed its solitary and symmetrical character. An underground extension proved spatially too complicated. Instead Henket designed an extension with an autonomous volume on top of the monumental building.
Architect Hubert-Jan Henket succeeded in persuading the client not to add an extension next to the existing building: This would have destroyed its solitary and symmetrical character. An underground extension proved spatially too complicated. Instead Henket designed an extension with an autonomous volume on top of the monumental building.
Cross-section: Bierman Henket architecten
Cross-section: Bierman Henket architecten
Photo: Joep Jacobs
In
the same way that the Palace of Justice links two worlds in a
horizontal direction, Henket couples the classical, static building with
the fluid dynamics of a contemporary extension in a vertical direction.
The superstructure, just like the substructure, is symmetrical in two
directions, but the shape rather resembles a rugby ball. Together, the
two totally-different volumes form a new urban entity. There are also
two contrasting interpretations in the interior: the classical
succession of rectangular museum halls below versus the fluid, open
spaces in the elliptical volume above.
Photo: Joep Jacobs
Photo: Joep Jacobs
Right
from the outset, both the Rijksdienst voor Cultureel Erfgoed, the
department responsible for the preservation of monuments and historical
buildings, and local conservation societies were enthusiastic about the
radical concept for the expansion. Under the motto preservation through
development the customary debates and public inquiry procedures were
considerably shortened. Planning permission was granted in record time.
Straight through the existing building, eight steel columns stand on eight individual foundations. The columns support the new extension – with two exhibition floors that total 1,000 m². So, structurally and architecturally, the extension is independent of the old building. The extension – also called the Art Cloud – is clad with 55,000 three-dimensional ceramic elements. Together, the mixed blue-and-white glazed tiles measuring 20x20 cm and 10x10 cm, form a subtle surface which, depending on the weather, merges into the heavens. On the northern side daylight floods into the two, new exhibition floors through a large, glazed pane in the tiled superstructure. Inside, visitors have a panoramic view of the city.
Straight through the existing building, eight steel columns stand on eight individual foundations. The columns support the new extension – with two exhibition floors that total 1,000 m². So, structurally and architecturally, the extension is independent of the old building. The extension – also called the Art Cloud – is clad with 55,000 three-dimensional ceramic elements. Together, the mixed blue-and-white glazed tiles measuring 20x20 cm and 10x10 cm, form a subtle surface which, depending on the weather, merges into the heavens. On the northern side daylight floods into the two, new exhibition floors through a large, glazed pane in the tiled superstructure. Inside, visitors have a panoramic view of the city.
Photo: Joep Jacobs
Photo: Joep Jacobs
Photo: Joep Jacobs
With
the extension, the original central entrance hall has been carried
through as an atrium where the two museological worlds converge. A glass
elevator in the atrium conveys visitors to the various floors. The
stairways are located on the outer part of the floors. In the old
building they are stately and straight, in the new development they are
flowingly curved. A glass passageway runs between the existing building
and the extension ? where new and old meet. On the one side visitors
look into the atrium and on the other they have a view of the city and
the underside of the tiled extension. With its aim of presenting
contemporary and old art in one building, Museum De Fundatie now has a
new, truly-unique identity.
Photo: Joep Jacobs
Photo: Joep Jacobs
Photo: Joep Jacobs
Floor plans in the gallery
Floor plan level 1 (ground floor): Bierman Henket architecten
Project data
Client: Museum De Fundatie / Gemeente Zwolle
Structural engineer: ABT adviesbureau voor bouwtechniek bv
Services engineer: Huisman & van Muijen
Building physics: Climatic Design Consult
Cost consultant: Bremen Bouwadviseurs
Contractor: BAM oost
Ceramics: Koninklijke Tichelaar Makkum
Design: 2010
Completion: 2013
Client: Museum De Fundatie / Gemeente Zwolle
Structural engineer: ABT adviesbureau voor bouwtechniek bv
Services engineer: Huisman & van Muijen
Building physics: Climatic Design Consult
Cost consultant: Bremen Bouwadviseurs
Contractor: BAM oost
Ceramics: Koninklijke Tichelaar Makkum
Design: 2010
Completion: 2013
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