A Museum in the City, A City in the Museum
The core value of Bauhaus is “ the attempt to develop a new everyday culture” which combined all design disciplines in an experimental manner and bridged the industry to shape the community almost a century ago.
The new Bauhaus Museum is not only about how to exhibit a school, but also how to carry on Bauhaus spirit to Re-develop a new everyday culture.
The new Bauhaus Museum weaves the urban and nature of city of Dessau by relinking the existing pedestrian flow as a chance to contextualise the site. The design concept, “A Museum in the City, A City in the Museum” is shifting the designing of a static object to a building that can accommodate the flux of everyday life. Thus the building is created as convergence of exhibitions, collections, flow of visitors, public events, as well as daily life of the citizen, a new museum paradigm for a new everyday culture.
Fragmental Volumes and Courtyard Spaces
A series courtyard space has been proposed, together as a new public space which transcends traditional exhibition spaces . These un-programmed spaces, expanding the exhibition from interior to exterior, not only open up to the citizen’s appropriation, but also infill the city life into the park. Those courtyards maintain and redefine the existing pedestrian routes through the site, in order to enable more urban connectivities and public activities which are converging on site.
Regarding to the multi-themes scenario, the exhibition space has been broken down into a series of fragmental volumes, integrating the in-between space as flexible as it is, allowing free flow and public access for operating flexibility. Furthermore, courtyards and green spaces are carefully conceived along those fragmental volumes, providing space for the outdoor display and event space, extending the visual connection from each corner of the building to the park.
Entrance Plaza to Ratsgasse
The entrance plaza directly connects the main urban pedestrian path Ratsgasse, people can enjoy walking through the museum through everyday life. The museum is not a singular iconic building, rather than an unique social and public spatial experience that immersing into local lifestyle, meanwhile enriches the visitors’ impression to the City of Dessau. The cafeteria terrace brings the overall view over the city and the park, at the main entrance of the Bauhaus Museum.
Grid System Control
Three layers of grid system is setup for the museum: 10x10m Grid is created for main structure grid, while 5x5m grid is used for guiding space division, furthermore subdivided into 2.5×2.5m grid for controlling detail level of architectural elements such as corridor and staircase.
Two Exhibition Circulation Paths
The temporary exhibition is created as curved space open to the corner of Kavalier- and Friedrichstraße, from which visitors can browse other “Six Topos” continuous and back to temporary exhibition hall. Also as another alternative route, visitors can follow the path through courtyards to see the exhibition prefer.
The museum education part and cafeteria have independent access from the entrance plaza following the main staircase connecting to the terrace, which can open separately from the museum.
Sustainability and Timber Material
The courtyard system is allowing daylight and solar radiation to penetrate deeply into the building. The aim of this feature is that the building receives natural sunlight throughout the year. With natural and controlled ventilation, the building is aiming to achieve LEED gold certification.
The dark timber material is used in the facade cladding of exhibition parts, which create another connection to the park, makes the building blending to the nature.
Design Team: Feng Xu, Nikolaus Wabnitz, Wei Xiwen, Lan Peilun, Zhao Zirong, Yuan Hang, Guo Zhenzhen, Hao Jiaqi
Design Date: 2015.3-2015.4