archi-TecToNics

The decision by the Drents Museum of Netherlands directors to place the facility on the global map of important museums with a new extension, and in the same time to place the whole new collection underground lead to our concept of a glass plinth, which extends into the park. All new underground museum spaces get a glass roof and ceiling, allowing for filtered daylight in the exhibition spaces, while also being a clear ‘marker’ in the landscape. These walkable glass surfaces extend in the courtyards of the museum thus clearly linking old and new. It creates a new continuity between the existing building, the new extension and the landscape. The Museum not only contains Art but also in the same time becomes “LandArt” itself. New ways of advertising through google earth help make the museum relevant in the global art market.

URBAN CONTEXT // The extension fits fluidly in the existing urban context; by placing the extension almost completely under the ground, the existing monumental museum buildings are left completely intact while at the same time being positioned in a beautiful contrast with the glass extensions as they slip from under the museum into the adjacent park. Here the glass surfaces fold up out of the ground to form a sculptural double height entrance lobby and a great new presence for the museum in the city of Assen. The presence of the new museum is not only more visible but also more relevant as a modern critical urban presence. A new museum square becomes a cultural and social gathering space where new activities can be planned. The museum, once completely internal, now turns inside out, as it shows its collection in glimpses through glass shards. Large recessed courtyards pull natural light and green into the museum, thus constantly throwing the boundary between museum and garden in crisis. 

INFO

Project Type: Museum addition and renovation

Location: Assen, The Netherlands

Area: 85,000 sf // 7,897 m²

Status: Invited Competition, Finalist 2007

Design: Archi-Tectonics

Principal in charge: Winka Dubbeldam

Project Leader:  Brian Holland

Architect of Record: Bureau Bouwkunde

Archi-Tectonics Team: Thomas Barry, Bittor Sanchez, Patrick Wong, David Barr, Hiroyuki Miki, Jordan Trachtenberg, Ivo De Jeu, Artem Sumakov, Daria Listopad, Amy Keefer

Consultants:

Structural Engineers: ABT, Delft, The Netherlands

Photography:   

Archi-Tectonics