Project. The Art House Uri is dedicated to contemporary works of art. It is located in the center of Altdorf, Switzerland, close to the William Tell Monument. A hall-shaped extension to the existing building was opened in June 2009 to create a permanent home for the works of local artist Heinrich Danioth. The new building provides an attractive space for exhibitions – on two levels, in an extension, and in a spacious courtyard. With a diverse program of exhibitions, the Uri Art Society wants to turn its display rooms into a place when people can meet and interact. To ensure the visible qualities of the artwork in the museum are optimized, the right lighting conditions are extremely important.
Concept/Design. Museum illumination using skylights dates back to the Sir John Sloane Museum in London, constructed from 1812–1814. Since works of art illuminated by natural light appear very authentic, the architect at that time chose illumination by skylight. Ch. Keller Design AG has picked up on this idea, reducing the design to three large, illuminated ceiling panels with Sefar coverings. Fluorescent lighting is positioned in the skylights behind the Sefar elements as artificial lighting and as a supplement to the natural light source. This relatively diffuse light is further enhanced with spotlights, mounted on the contact rails, sideways to the SEFAR LIGHTFRAME®. This part of the lighting system can be angled and adjusted.
Construction. The front and back of the system is covered with SEFAR® Architecture Fabric. Since there is no glass profile, this lightweight, easy to handle, diffusely radiating light ceiling appears extremely sleek and unpretentious. Any soiling such as insects on the fabric cannot be seen. The large surface elements are easy to disassemble because of their light weight. For a small investment, the skylight system constructed at the Art House Uri provides excellent lighting conditions, simple servicing requirements and a generous spatial appearance.
