competition lodz - 1st prize

animation museum lodz

main view from kobro plaza

art museum lodz - concept

• art to bridge cultural gaps
• the glass cylinder as symbol of infinite space
• from the edge of light into the centre point art
• art core with encasing light

the design of an art museum optimizes its functional use when the construction remains reticent according to the art. the main statement should be: “all space belongs to the art“.a clear function and organisation of rooms is the best way to create a symbiosis between art and architecture.

architectural design integrated in the masterplan

the architectural design creates an architectural sculpture which integrates - like a bridge - into the urban surrounding. simplified it creates an “art core with encasing light”.the new sss - building will serve art and communication. it arises from the desired urbanistic basic conditions in a clear way. our idea is to create the construction as a “glass cylinder as symbol of infinite space”. design it without decorations, without extravagance, free from formalistic virtuosity.

floor plan

three cube shaped architrave blocks arise from the dark granite plaza of the site. these blocks house the exhibition space in the middle of the urban context surrounded by the glass mantle. it creates an impression of floating. art as “infinite space”, as part of a global spanning band.a clear, simple and rational floor plan concept was designed. our idea was using a square in a circle. the exhibition space in centred organized and encased by the glass mantle. a clarified organisation provides visitors with a focussed art experience.the organisational concept is based on connected wall areas. the visitor’s focus will be drawn to the artworks by the design elements “wholeness” and “integrity”.

floor plan entrance level

viewers in the galleries will be connected to the urban context. a versatile view into the city opposes the view into the coherent exhibition rooms. the lighting conditions at the galleries will be controlled by printed anti-sun glass and a second translucent reflection surface. it supports a soft modulated light on the white cube walls. this enables the walls at the galleries to become additional exhibition space.

architectural design concept

the sss-building is a catalyst for the open and liberal society of the city and the whole region. it supports economical growing by cultural exchange. the building is supposed to be an urban meeting point concentrating all cultures via the agora in the centre of the structure allowing cultural discussions and exchange.the museum’s architectural design is not a subjectivistic, non-functional gesture of scale but provides ideal conditions for the art by its minimalistic stringency.

the new museum is made accessible via the centred main entrance (agora) with generously spaced areas under a luminiferous rotunda. the rotunda houses the vertical ramp to access all levels up to the roof garden.

floor plan exhibition level

the transparent cylinder connects internal and external building units. the museum opens itself up and allows viewers bidirectional looks inside and outside of it. the building envelope - similar to a gauze layer - makes internal exhibition space and artworks shine through the building’s façade.

this concept allows the art to “step on the street” and draws the urban space into the construction. the museum becomes an extension of the urban space and turns into an open matrix consisting of life, light, space and art.

rooms with different requirements are connected by the galeries. by using the room units at the outer areas of the building the exhibition space is increased.the exhibition rooms have been developed in a conventional manner in order to support versatile art collections. at the same time they provide viewers with a very intense and personal experience by their connected surfaces and different layers. a basic requirement in order to understand art.the complex and expensive seeming construction of the museum becomes economical and simple by using reiterating modules of the same kind.

floor plan exhibition level

open spaces

socket units are placed below the floating glass cylinder. this provides the building with generously spaced areas in front of the main entrances. the entrance zones are clearly visible and connect the museum with the “rynek kobro” plaza and the “stanislawa mniuszki” park. the infrastructure and the area beneath the cylinder consist of dark granite panels which can hold sculptures or concrete poetry milled into it.

unit location plan within the urban context

planning data

• main usable area 26.000 m²
• depot/utiliy room/car park area 12.000 m²
• cubature in total 242.000 m³
• glass cylinder length 235 m, diameter 30m

downloadable brochure

(format: pdf, size: 2.7 mb)