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Das neue Design Museum in London
2017 ¥ 3 ∂
Schnitt Maßstab 1:1000 Section scale 1:1000
weitere Fotos / further photos: www.detail.de/D3_2017_DesignMuseum www.designmuseum.org
historically listed, and stood vacant from 2002 onwards. Its condition was appropriately desolate when in 2008, a competition was announced to redevelop the complex; OMA and West 8 were the winners (see interview in Detail 1/2 2017). To cover the difficult and costly restoration and renovation of the central building, the local council partnered with a private investor, who was allowed to demolish the remaining buildings on site and replace them with three luxury apartment blocks.
enefits, which are reflected by the different b spatial arrangements. The new Design Museum includes a Members Room, the Swarovski Foundation Centre for Learning, seminar rooms, design studios, and an auditorium with 202 seats. The Sackler Library also has an outpost here, serving as a valuable source of information for designers and design students alike. Much of the museum’s space is used for lectures, workshops, and other events, and is only partially open to the public.
Old and New A later competition was held for the museum’s interior design, with the winning plans going to John Pawson. The London-based architect is known for his minimalist style, with clear lines and subtle detailing, as seen in Calvin Klein’s flagship stores and various private homes for well-heeled clients. Pawson’s signature is likewise evident in the new Design Museum, which is outfitted in pale oak and glass with indirect lighting, fostering an atmosphere of calm. The contrast with the pre-existing structure allows the overlapping parabolic roof shells to assert their spatial dominance. These consist of alternating exposed concrete and a girder framework covered by lightweight wood-wool panels. The three-level atrium with its tiered galleries thus function as a kind of inner frame for the original fabric, which is almost brutalist in nature. The atrium, to which a café and the museum shop have also been attached, serves as a central access zone. It is a place to see and be seen, on the stepped benches, stairs, and walkways. Displays in the high-ceilinged space are planned for the future; a system of hanging rails has already been installed.
Exhibitions This may explain why the area dedicated to the free, permanent exhibition has been relegated to the building’s uppermost floor. Despite a colorful wall with the words “Designer Maker User” signaling the show’s location and theme, its entrance is relatively narrow and sure to be tight with some 650,000 visitors expected annually. The same applies to the path through the densely-packed exhibition, which showcases nearly 1,000 design objects. More breathing room is available on the ground floor, which hosts temporary exhibitions where admission is charged. The inaugural show, “Fear and Love: Reactions to a Complex World,” presents 11 installations confronting current issues. Most of the works take a more abstract approach than the museum’s otherwise straightforward design content; an exception is OMA’s living room, which is outfitted with one design object from each European Union nation. A Braun wall clock stands for Germany. Representing Great Britain is floral wallpaper by Osborne & Little, the family company of George Osborne, the former Chancellor of the Exchequer who resigned after the EU referendum. A strip curtain in the colors of the Union Jack lies on the floor; the colors of the other EU countries are still hanging. An old photograph behind the blinds depicts war-bombed Rotterdam – a sobering reminder of why the EU was originally established. Here it becomes clear that design is not only important for the form and function of consumer goods, but can also help us to understand developments at work within society.
Museum, Education, Research Museums in England differ from those in Germany in several ways. While German museums serve mainly to showcase exhibitions, their English counterparts take on a broader institutional role that includes research and education. Whereas a museum membership in Germany means discounted admission fees, in England one receives actual club