deconarch

A little photo series I don’t want to hold back – actually the photos have been “stored ” quite a while on my hard drive… The photos are all taken by myself, in August 2008.

So, MARTa Herford, Herford/Germany – by Frank O. Gehry, opened in May 2005

(Self-Description/Website:) With the name MARTa fronting the triad of design (M standing for Möbel/furniture), art (ART) and architecture/ambience (a), the museum aims to provide fresh inspiration for art, design, architecture and business both in the local region and far beyond. [...] The main idea behind MARTa Herford is to highlight and redefine the contradictory links between art and business.

Gehry’s building is actually an annex to the older museum building, now called “Centre”, which dates back to the 1950s and was designed by the Herford architect Werner Lippold.

The MARTa complex now comprises 4 different building components: a Museum, a Forum, a Centre and a Café.

(As I could not enter the museum – changing exhibitions… I rely on the website’s description of the interiors:) The Museum consists of a 22-metre-high dome and five smaller galleries which are flooded with light from the lofty skylights. All these galleries will have one floor only, so that visitors will have an unimpeded view not only the artworks, but also of the sky. A total of 2,500 square metres exhibition space is available both for alternating exhibitions and for the collection.
The older Lippold building is integrated into the Gehry museum

Opposite the Museum is the Forum, which covers almost 380 square meters and can seat 199. It is to be used for presentations and events related to the themes of architecture, design, art and furniture.

The Café-Restaurant, with its copper-clad bar and glazed front looking onto the river bank, opened in November. It is of particular interest as it is the only place where the typical roof construction is not clad.

Some more impressions: