Diener & Diener
The exhibition of the architecture office Diener & Diener from Basel
presents the recently opened Swiss Embassy in Berlin and 5 other current
projects, related to the themes reconstruction and restoration:
The Ruhrmuseum Zeche Zollverein in Essen (1999-2002), The National
Gallery for Modern Art in Rome, (2000-2003), the shopping center and
Migros school in Luzern (1995-2000) the Center PasquArt in Biel
(1994-1999) and housing estates on Java Island in Amsterdam
(1995-2000). The projects will be exhibited through sketches, designs,
models, plans and photos.
Swiss Embassy, Berlin, 1995-2001
The old, still-preserved palace of the Embassy, originally a private Villa, built
in 1871 by Friedrich Hitzig and expanded in 1910 by Paul Baumgarten, has
been renovated and enlarged with a new building on its East side by
Diener & Diener. The older part of the building complex facilitates a
historical continuity with the earlier closed Alsen district, while combined,
both buildings simultaneously appear as an autonomous solitaire. The
expansion runs contrary to the schematic of neoclassical facade patterns
by creating breaks and openings in the walls of the building. This structural
departure corresponds to the construction of the houses. On the West side,
a cube-shaped relief, designed by Helmut Federle, decorates the fire wall,
providing a harmonious completion. The Swiss artist, Pippilotti Rist, presents
her installation in the courtyard.
Shopping Center and Migros School, Luzern, 1995-2000
After a lengthy discussion concerning the historical hall of the Schweizerhof
Hotel, Diener & Diener designed a complex for the Migros company, which
fulfilled the urban and architectural demands of this environment. Across
from the Matthäuskirche, the new complex serves as a mundane Basillica.
The building is a steel frame construction that guarantees a variety of
placement options for the shops. The facade of the building is covered with
glass and oxified copper plates and huge windows offer views from inside.
Housing Estates, Java Island, Amsterdam, 1995-2001
Two buildings in the area between the Java Island and the KNSM Island,
near to the historical harbour of Amsterdam appear at the end of a row of
superblocks (Albert, Kollhoff). Aesthetically and functionally diverse, both
designs succeed in connecting the old wharf to the the city.
Ruhr Museum Mine Zolleverein, Essen, 1999-2002
One of the largest mines of the Ruhrgebiet, the Zeche Zolleverein Essen is
protected as an industrial monument. New spaces will be created for the
exhibitions of the Ruhr Museum, because the transformation of the former
industrial halls into the museum was problematic. In order to preserve the
unique character of the industrial architecture and production processes,
the way of the exhibition leads through depots, factories, and areas of
production.
National Gallery of Modern Art, Rome, 2000-2003
The historically-developed complex of three different buildings (the old West
wing (1911), the exposed facade of the building in between, and the
newly-constructed modern wing on the North side) gives the impression of
the multi-faceted organization of the museum from the outside. The new
auditorium, whose transparent facade is decorated by sculptures, connects
the old and new parts impressively. The new hall unifies the entire complex,
as it shifts the museum entrance to the middle part.
Kunsthaus Centre PasquArt, Biel, 1994-1999
An L-shaped building leads the visitor around the Centre PasquArt. There,
a system of spaces was created, which corresponds to the variety of the
different exhibition halls. The corridor follows in the same direction as the
staircase, in a flowing movement through the different floors. The new
building is concrete construction with large, artificial stone plates, which
appear green thanks to the sand and granite. This green coloration allows
the new building to stand out against the older, gray sandstone complex.
Speaking at the opening:
Kristin Feireiss Berlin/Rotterdam,
Dr. Thomas Borer-Fielding der Schweizer Botschafter in Berlin
Wilfried Wang Berlin.
