Dutch apply Kaan Architecten has prolonged the Museum Paleis Het Lavatory in Apeldoorn, the Netherlands, concealing over 5,000 sq. meters of customer areas beneath a public courtyard and fountain.
Initially in-built 1686 as a royal looking palace for King William III, the Baroque advanced on the outskirts of Apeldoorn has served as a state museum since 1984, however was affected by dated services and fittings and required asbestos elimination.
Successful the undertaking by a public competitors in 2016, Kaan Architecten sought to retain and proceed the sensation of “grandeur” created by the present buildings. This knowledgeable the studio’s resolution to hide the extension underground.
Following the symmetrical format of the palace above, the cavernous interiors have been completed with pale marble, illuminated by skylights beneath a brand new fountain and a pool of water that creates a dappled mild impact.
“The underground extension retains the symmetrical logic of the baroque composition and the palace’s corps de logis [main block] as the fundamental flooring plan,” stated the apply.
“The newly remodeled Paleis Het Lavatory now radiates the grandeur that befits one of many Netherlands’ most famed and frequented museums,” it added.
Moderately than create a brand new entrance that may detract from the present format, Kaan Architecten positioned two entrances on the finish of the palace’s wings, the place two entrance pavilions lead down into the underground extension.
As soon as underground, a grand, skylit hall lined with pale marble connects to an present staircase to the north of the palace, flanked by a combination of momentary and everlasting exhibition areas.
“Though its architectural expression is restrained and chic, the brand new constructing befits the grandeur and creativeness related to the time period ‘palace’,” defined the studio.
“Traces of the previous stay seen within the refined marble inlays on the partitions the place the previous construction was hollowed out to create the lantern-like entry pavilions,” it continued.
Above, the 2 slender wings of the present palace face one another throughout the newly-created public sq. and fountain.
Within the western wing, a raised gable kind referred to as the “Junior Palace” incorporates displays for youngsters, main round to a big restaurant within the former ballroom with new seating beneath giant chandeliers.
To the east, additional everlasting exhibition areas result in an unbiased constructing which incorporates places of work for the museum workers, organised round a small courtyard.
All through the undertaking, a minimalist method has been taken to the interiors, with pale wooden flooring and white partitions within the new gallery areas, and easy furnishings and white partitions contrasting retained woodwork within the present palace.
“Delicate textures are layered by alternating sandblasted, honed and polished marble, playfully delivered to life by the reflection of pure mild by the fountain,” stated the studio.
The undertaking marks the second high-profile museum extension by Kaan Architecten, which additionally lately accomplished a undertaking on the Royal Museum of Fantastic Arts in Antwerp, which took a equally minimal method to an present Nineteenth-century constructing.
The studio additionally designed a geological centre in Germany that was knowledgeable by the looks of a block of stone.
The pictures is by Simon Menges until said in any other case.
