Full text of DOI:10.1111/1468-0033.00274

Towards a new vision of the museum:
the Kunsthaus of Bregenz
Mihail Moldoveanu
Museum architecture and museum
collections are not always compatible,
and new buildings may overshadow the
works they were designed to enhance. A
notable exception is described by Mihail
Moldoveanu, a freelance photographer
and writer based in Paris.
The idea of the `museum,' as it took shape An initial sign of this increased importance
during the nineteenth century, has in relation to other public utilities is the
become obsolete. Initially modelled on quest for a `representative architecture', a
the cabinet of curiosities, this institution term that in this case signifies a recog-
now has to house just about everything nizable `stamp', or a building designed in
that society produces, admires or wants to a very particular way. The ideal solution is
remember. Today, museums are often to have a well-known architect construct
first-rank commercial success stories. an extravagant building, museum admini-
They have much in common with theme strators having become well aware of the
parks ± Disneyland in Florida is the most effectiveness of the message that archi-
famous archetype ± sharing with them not tecture transmits. To make sure of success
only a very large public but an increasing when they envisage important architec-
number of similar characteristics as well, tural work, they organize restricted com-
beginning with the techniques to control petitions to which they invite almost
visitor flow and ending with the installa- exclusively celebrities, or, to shorten the
tion of restaurants and shops selling a process, they simply give them the
wide variety of `homemade' products contract.
which can now often be bought on the
Internet.
Examples of this evolution abound, and
not only in the United States. None the
The objective of attracting a very large less, the first major museum to make a
public for museums may be seen as both a radical departure from the `historic' model
logical consequence of the process of is American and dates back to the 1950s,
democratizing access to culture and as an namely, the Guggenheim Museum in New
attitude of political demagoguery. None York. This pioneering architectural
the less, a few voices can still be heard, masterpiece by Frank Lloyd Wright re-
from time to time, saying that mass educa- jected all previous experience in the field
tion weakens the primary function of the (Beaux-Arts as well as Modernist). In a
museum, which is to exhibit, collect and single space, a very long spiral ramp ± the
promote research work by specialists. In gallery ± turns and turns around a well of
general, politicians consider this point of light formed by a magnificent central
view as that of an intellectual eÂlite group skylight.
and attach little or no importance to it.
The next stage in the definition of a new
In the United States, which is experi- type of museum, more adapted to the
encing a veritable boom in this field, more `action' requirements of a society under-
than 150 museums have been constructed going fundamental change, came in the
or extended in the 1997±99 period alone. shape of the Georges Pompidou Centre in
Edward Able, president of the American Paris constructed by Renzo Piano and
Association of Museums emphasized in a Richard Rogers in the 1970s. Here, the
recent interview that `Museums have not collections ± their very large number
only become important educational in- notwithstanding ± occupy only a fifth of
stitutions . . . they have also become the the entire building, a kind of transparent
new town halls which play a central role box that also houses temporary exhibi-
in the cultural, social and economic life of tions, libraries, cinemas, various activities
their communities.'1
and, most of all, a lot of visitors.
ISSN 1350-0775, Museum International (UNESCO, Paris), No. 207 (Vol. 52, No. 3, 2000)
ß UNESCO 2000
Published by Blackwell Publishers, 108 Cowley Road, Oxford, OX4 1JF (UK) and 350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148 (USA)
55

Mihail Moldoveanu
`The two buildings mark out an urban
space which has a surprising effect.'
The `museum rush' became widespread MOCA in Los Angeles, and I. M. Pei
starting from the 1980s. A prosperous finished the extension of the National
town like Frankfurt-am-Main had to Gallery in Washington, D.C.
construct, in addition to its venerable
StaÈdel Museum, a constellation of new During the 1990s, the race for museums
museums by Richard Meier, Oswald bearing a `stamp' gathered even greater
Mathias Ungers and Hans Hollein. At the speed. Much more often than before, the
beginning of the 1980s, Meier, Ungers and contents lost their pride of place in the
Hollein already enjoyed the status of general definition of the museum
`internationally famous architects'.
institution, and the `place' became the
main attraction. Three Spanish museums
During this period, France gave its Louvre fully illustrate this new order: the Centro
the now world-famous pyramid con- de Arte of Galicia, executed by Alvaro Siza
structed by I. M. Pei, designing an in Santiago de Compostela, the Museu
enormous car park in its basement at the d'Art Contemporani in Barcelona,
same time. The National Gallery in designed by Richard Meier, and the
London added a new wing by Robert Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, the work
Venturi, while the Metropolitan Museum of Frank Gehry.
in New York was enlarged in a manner
lacking in grace: the new wing housing The `stars' continue to be provided with
the Temple of Dendur seems to have been plenty of work. Some of their museums
designed more for social functions ± such opened recently, while others are still
as banquets and receptions ± than for under construction. To cite a few of the
displaying art. Still in the 1980s, James most significant examples: Richard Meier
Stirling built the Staatsgalerie in Stuttgart, and his enormous Getty Center in Los
Arata Isozaki was invited to construct the Angeles; Rafael Moneo and his Modern
56
ß UNESCO 2000

Towards a new vision of the museum: the Kunsthaus of Bregenz
Art Museum in Stockholm and the extension work on the Prado in Madrid,
Museum of Fine Arts in Houston; Santiago and the Museum of Modern Art in New
Calatrava, who is working to finish his York will be redesigned and enlarged by
strange Milwaukee Art Museum; Tadao Yoshio Taniguchi.
Ando, who is designing a museum for Fort
Worth, Texas; Daniel Liebeskind who has In regard to art museums, especially
finished the Jewish Museum in Berlin; contemporary art, the risk is that many
Steven Holl who has created the remark- of these new buildings can complicate the
able Contemporary Art Museum in Hel- viewing of their contents by their own
sinki; and Mario Botta who is working on overbearing architecture. In certain cases
the Modern Art Museum in San Francisco. ± for example, the Guggenheim in Bilbao
The expansion and modernization of and the Modern Art Museum in Frankfurt-
major museums are also being carried am-Main ± the internal architecture is
out at an accelerated pace. After the adapted to the specific needs of a number
extension of the Guggenheim Museum of exhibited works. Nevertheless, a certain `The Kunsthaus is the choice meeting
in New York, the Pompidou Centre has degree of ambiguity, which is sometimes place between contemporary architecture
reopened after two years of renovation, recognized, persists. It is largely the and contemporary art.' Here, a gallery
Rafael Moneo is carrying out major logical result of the symbiosis between a on the third floor.
ß UNESCO 2000
57

Mihail Moldoveanu
The Kunsthaus of Bregenz, situated on
the esplanade of Lake Constance.
`plastic' art, which ± led by the evolution assistance of one of Gehry's engineers and
of its own concepts and that of technology the backing of a technology that is com-
± is constantly extending its own limits, parable
and an architecture that is undergoing sophisticated
similar artistic changes, and constantly construct this prodigious building. How
renewing its vocabulary. many artists can repeat the same feat?
±
in other words, extremely
±
to the one used to
The Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao now Today's architects often see the museum
offers the clearest example of the difficulty as providing the ideal opportunity for
of such a relationship. When Richard experimenting with new design forms, an
Serra, the sculptor, was invited to exhibit approach that does not necessarily lead to
enormous objects made of steel, he said the creation of spaces that improve the
recently that the room that had been public's contact with the exhibited works.
reserved for him ± Room 104 which is However, the experience gained over the
used for temporary exhibitions ± `had past few years can be used to define the
always ``swallowed up'' all the works characteristics of
a
new art museum
high level of
which had been exhibited in it . . . now capable of showing
a
you enter into the space of the works and compatibility between its works ± which
not that of the architect'.2 But attention are extremely varied ± and its architecture.
must be drawn to the price that has been Able to adapt to the various requirements
paid: huge works which maintain a dia- of its contents without dominating them,
logue with Gehry's very particular archi- such architecture must reflect the noble
tectural morphology, constructed with the character of these works.
58
ß UNESCO 2000

Towards a new vision of the museum: the Kunsthaus of Bregenz
A `stamp,' not a `style'
esplanade and painted in black with a few
white touches here and there. The two
This new ideal was brilliantly illustrated buildings mark out an urban space which
by the Kunsthaus in Bregenz, Austria, on has a surprising effect on the town centre.
the border with Switzerland. The story of The strange presence of the black build-
this fascinating building, which was ing heightens the mysterious character of
finished in 1997, is very special. If the the big `ice cube', whose continuity of
municipal officials are today well satisfied surface is broken only by a modest en-
with the overall result of the entire trance door and a barely distinguishable
operation, it is only because the architect service access.
had to ignore most of the numerous
pressures being applied on him during The main volume of the building is
the project's design and construction. This original in many respects. Light is treated
building is `signed' by the Swiss architect with particular deference. Diffused, soft
Peter Zumthor, who enjoys a surprising and omnipresent, it is homogeneous in a
degree of fame despite a very scanty most uncommon way. All the interior
output. The great strength of his buildings spaces are `enveloped' by very large
lies in their coherence and their total technical chambers in order to be able to
adaptation to their given functions. In control ± without disturbing the visual
1999, he was awarded the prestigious aspect of the rooms in any way ± not only
Mies van der Rohe Prize for the Kunsthaus the diffusion of light but also the heating
in Bregenz. Winner of a competition, this system, the various changes required by
project embodies a radical position with museum activity, air circulation and
respect to its siting on the esplanade of acoustics. All these `workings' are hidden
Lake Constance, its function and its away between the external facËade and the
internal construction. The main volume corners of the rooms, as well as behind The entry hall and exhibition space
of the building stands out with elegance ceilings and underneath floors. A system showing works by Danish artist Per
and sobriety: an opaque glass prism, of mirrors is used to `transport' daylight Kirkeby.
designed to represent a sanctuary of art,
without making the least concession to
the `picturesque'. It continues the frontage
line in this central area of the urban
nucleus, but without entering into a more
sustained dialogue with the neighbouring
structures. The building creates its own
environment and provides neither spec-
tacular views of the lake nor a cafeteria on
its terrace; visitors remain focused on the
purpose of their visit, in close communion
with art. The intransigence of this archi-
tectural approach is also witnessed in the
functional separations: a large translucent
section is designed to house only the
works of art while the subsidiary functions
± administration, archives, shop and cafe-
teria ± are grouped together in an in-
dependent building situated behind the
ß UNESCO 2000
59

Mihail Moldoveanu
over the entire surface of the translucent primitive art works as well as Renaissance
ceilings in such a way that all the floors paintings or constructivist sculptures. The
benefit from a mysterious zenithal light. A building as a whole can enter into a
sophisticated lighting system compensates dialogue with contemporary experimental
the variations of natural light. The Kunst- art, a very rare quality.
haus ± `art house' to give it a literal
translation ± comprises four storeys that The Kunsthaus is the choice meeting
enjoy daylight and two basement floors. place between contemporary architecture
The skin is surprising at close view, being and contemporary art. It possesses the
an endless succession of `scales' made of capacity to heighten the effect of the
translucent glass. Their disposition creates works, which resonate with the space. In
the optical effect of a vibrating surface, certain specific cases, architecture and art
but in fact they are the same smooth use a common vocabulary, each intensify-
panels that make up the inside ceilings. ing the other. They are then united in an
This material, which dissolves in daylight, experience that the visitor will find
glows in the evening when the building unforgettable.
functions like an urban lamp.
■
The spartan elegance of the interior
favours concentration, as does the very
Notes
discreet contact with the outside world 1. International Herald Tribune, 23 October
and the restricted number of `visual 1999, p. 10.
accidents' that could catch the eye. The
spiritual nature of the exhibited works is 2. Connaissance des Arts, No. 564, September
emphasized. Such rooms can enhance 1999, p. 113.
60
ß UNESCO 2000