Lenbachhaus Museum reopens, by Foster+Partners

Peeling away the unnecessary historical accretions, a 1972 extension has been removed to reveal the wall of the original villa, which has been sympathetically restored in ochre render. The different historical elements are then unified along Richard-Wagner Street by a new gallery pavilion, containing two levels of exhibition space. The new building is intended as a ‘jewel box’ for the treasures of the gallery – it is clad in metal tubes of an alloy of copper and aluminium, their colour and form designed to complement the villa’s rich ochre hue and textured facades.

Inside the new building, a sequence of intimate galleries display the Museum’s internationally-renowned ‘Blue Rider’ collection of early twentieth-century Expressionist paintings. As many of the works of art were painted in ‘plein-air’, indirect natural light has been deliberately drawn into the upper level galleries to create the optimum environment for their display. A new entrance has been created adjacent to the restaurant, accessed via a new landscaped piazza to the east of the museu.

The Museum commissioned the artist Olafur Eliasson for a site specific work titled Wirbelwerk. During the day sunlight washes the white walls via a long, slender opening at roof level and horizontal louvres cast changing patterns of light and shade within the space.

As well as repairing the fabric of the existing buildings, one of the main aims of the project has been to radically improve the museum’s environmental performance. A water-based heating and cooling system within the floors has been implemented – using significantly less energy than an air based heating, this represents an innovative step in a gallery context. Rainwater is also collected and recycled and lighting has been replaced and upgraded with low-energy systems.

Norman Foster:

“Our main challenge has been to maintain the same amount of exhibition area, within the museum’s footprint, while creating new circulation and visitor spaces. Given the way that the different parts of the museum had evolved, there was no such thing as a typical space – every corner is unique and required individual attention and different design decisions. This has been a fascinating process. Another important aspect of our design has been creating new opportunities for works of art to be exhibited outside the traditional confines of the gallery, such as in the atrium. This space develops the idea of the ‘urban room’ – it is the museum’s public and social heart, and point of connection with the wider city.”

Richard-Wagner-Str. Photography © Nigel Young / Courtesy of Foster and Partners.

CREDITS

Architect: Foster + Partners.
Design Team: Norman Foster Spencer de Grey David Nelson Stefan Behling Christian Hallmann Ulrich Hamann Klaus Heldwein Florian Boxberg Leonhard Weil Judith Kernt Henriette Hahnloser Eike Danz Diana Krumbein Simon Weismaier Christopher Von Der Howen Inge Tummers Jörg Grabfelder Katrin Hass Tillmann Lenz.

Project Management.- DU Diederichs Projektmanagement. Structural Engineer.- Sailer Stepan & Partner GmbH. Mechanical Engineer.- Ingenieurbüro Robert Ottitsch (HLS + RLT). PEG GmbH (Elektro). Quantity Surveyor.- CBP Cronauer. Cost Consultant.- Höhler + Partner. Landscaping.- Burger Landschaftsarchitekten. Lighting Design.- Ingenieurbüro Bamberger.

Client.- City of Munich, Cultural Department, Building Construction.

Appointment.- 2002. Construction Start.- 2009. Completion.- 2013.

Site Area.- Approx. 4,000m²
Area (Gross).- 12,328m²

Facilities.- More than 55 exhibition spaces and galleries with a range of lighting systems combining LED and natural light, atrium orientation hall, shop, restaurant / cafe, lecture hall, historic villa, administration, conservation workshop, adult and children’s education centre, cloakroom.