The exhibits in the museum can satisfy our expectations for appreciating art, but have you ever thought that the museum itself can be a unique work of art! For example, the newly built art depot of Museum Boijmans van Beuningen in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, has a unique exterior that looks like a mirrored flower pot. Before entering the museum to admire the collections, this distinctive depot will first capture your attention!
This museum, located north of Museum Park in Rotterdam, was designed by the Dutch MVRDV. The architectural studio stood out in the design competition for the new public art storage gallery, Depot Boijmans van Beuningen, in Rotterdam, the Netherlands in 2014. After several years of construction, it will open to the public this autumn.
The Boijmans Van Beuningen Museum, known as one of the three major art museums in the Netherlands, was completed in 1849. With a long history, it houses works by artists such as Van Gogh and Monet. The reason for constructing a new public art storage exhibition hall is that the original space of the Boijmans Van Beuningen Museum could only display about 8% of its art collection, with the rest stored internally. In order to allow the public to appreciate more artworks, a space was created that could both store and display the collection, open for public viewing. By using specially designed mobile storage racks, artworks can be easily changed, allowing art enthusiasts to see different treasures with each visit, full of surprises! In addition to viewing the artworks, visitors can also visit the restoration space in the museum to learn about the conservation process of artworks and the process of transporting them to the exhibition hall, thus gaining a more comprehensive understanding of the artworks.
The art warehouse exhibition hall, designed with a composite mirror design, is made up of up to 1,664 curved mirror glass pieces, creating the shape of a glass flower pot. The glass exterior wall reflects the park’s scenery, creating different visual effects as it changes day and night. A thoughtful detail in its architectural design is that not all of the “flower pot” is covered with mirror glass, leaving some parts of the exterior wall empty to reduce light reflection. The 39.5-meter-high art warehouse exhibition hall has 6 floors, not only using sustainable building materials but also equipped with solar panels, rainwater collection, and underground heat storage systems, making it environmentally friendly and providing comfortable temperatures indoors.
Although it is expected that the new public art warehouse exhibition hall will not open to the public until around 151,000 artworks are housed in 2021, visitors can still be the first to enjoy the new hall’s rooftop garden after the exhibition hall opens this year. The landscape is designed by MTD landschapsarchitecten and features a unique restaurant where visitors can dine while enjoying the elegant natural scenery, making for a leisurely afternoon!
Image source: MVRDV
