The Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen in Rotterdam, which is currently undergoing renovations designed by Mecanoo, chose to transform their art depot into a visitable building. For MVRDV the key element is the interaction between the visitors and more than 151,000 works that are stored in the seven-storey building.
The Museum Boijmans did not want the building to become a second museum, but a unique experience that reveals the world behind the storage and maintenance of 63,000 paintings, photographs, films, pre-industrial design objects, contemporary art installations, sculptures, as well as 88,000 prints and drawings.
The architects of MVRDV aimed to create a building that would disappear into its surroundings. The mirrored façade, made out of 1,664 spherical curved glass panels, ensures this visual blending reminiscent of Anish Kapoor’s mirroring Cloud Gate sculpture. The designers like the idea that every day the depot will look different, like a living painting.
“As an architect, I hope that visitors will soon enjoy the interior, the rooftop forest, and the experience of being in direct contact with the art without the mediation of a curator. Our ambition was to give the Museumpark a new dimension, and to bring different target groups, from schoolchildren to Feyenoord fans, into contact with the Boijmans collection in an innovative way. We hope to have added a new work of art to Rotterdam's already rich architecture collection.”
- Winy Maas, founding partner of MVRDV
The designers opted for a round volume to minimize its footprint and presence inside the museum park. The building curves upwards resulting in a 10-meter overhang. On top the architects placed a 35-meter-high rooftop forest planted with 75 birches, 20 pines and grasses.
Inside an atrium with criss-crossing staircases and windows into the storage spaces reveals the layout of the building. Visitors are treated to thirteen large display cases with a collage of collection pieces when they enter.
The entrance was designed by John Körmeling and the display cases by Marieke van Diemen.
Visitors can take guided tours through the 15,000 m2 of air-conditioned storage spaces or visit the rooftop forest and restaurant. The Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen opens to the public tomorrow on the 6th of November.
