Designed by MVRDV’s Founding Partner Winy Maas, the first publicly accessible art depot in the world – Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen, located in Rotterdam’s Museumpark was opened for three days, namely, 25th, 26th and 27th of September 2021 for the public view.
The art depot will be completely fitted out and start functioning in the fall of 2021. The Dutch people were delighted to get the opportunity to view from inside the magnificent architectural marvel coming from one of the best architectural firms in the world MVRDV.
The scintillating design of Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen has breathtaking views in various seasons and time of the day and night. It surely is a path-breaking architectural marvel for the world to be in awe of the fabulous structure and the tiny nation Netherlands in particular.
Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen features a nouveau experience for museum visitors. The complete collection of 151,000 objects will be made accessible to the public I a sturdy engine room. An award-winning 35-metre high rooftop forest is the major highlight of the museum, along with a restaurant.
Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen is also an engineering marvel apart from being a path-breaking architectural structure. The huge bowl form stands at an amazing height of 39.5 metres in the round. It has been brilliantly designed to have a relatively small footprint.
At the ground level, the form ensures existing views into and routes through the Museumpark unimpeded. It reduces the impact on underground water buffers, while an expansive rooftop public space with a restaurant provides access to inspiring views of Rotterdam.
The reflective façade with 1,664 mirrored-panels covering an amazing 6,609 sq. m area with glass wears the trappings of whatever surrounds it. Rotterdam’s skyline has just become more beautiful than ever before.
With its reflective façade, the 15,000 sq. m structure is fully integrated into its surroundings and landscape as one. Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen has enlivened the Museumpark surroundings and will attract millions of tourists to click photographs in coming days.
Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen has been designed to store and exhibit artefacts according to their climatic requirements. Five different climatic zones storage areas is fully climate controlled and organized. Artefacts with various materials, namely, metal, organic/inorganic, plastic and photographs, will be placed according to their climatic requirements.
With crisscrossing staircases and suspended glass display cases, the atrium of the museum creates an exhilarating dramatic effect showcasing exhibitions of works selected by museum curators. The atrium leads visitors towards various exhibition rooms and curators’ studios. It allows the visitors to enjoy unique behind-the-scenes experience and the chance to learn how a world-renowned museum maintains and cares for its art collection.
From the ground floor lobby and extending to the rooftop restaurant, continuing all along the entire building route, art will be displayed in a systematic manner. Construction of the Depot Boumans Van Beuningen started on the 17th of March 2017. The project was completed in the month of September 2021.
At a height of 35 metres, a rooftop forest outside the restaurant adds adventurous experience for the visitors. The forest is populated with 75 multi-stemmed tall birch trees. Visitors will be able to enjoy the breathtaking view of Rotterdam from the top of the museum.
MVRDV’s Founding Partner Winy Maas enthused, “With this construction completion, now the museum and the users can start to inhabit the building and fill its spaces with priceless art. Although it will take another year before the real opening, the completion is a special moment for all – the museum, the city of Rotterdam, Stichting De Verre Bergen and of course for the contractor BAM, the many construction workers and subcontractors, who persisted during the difficult circumstances we all faced due to the pandemic.”
“The depot design is daring and its success comes from the direct dialogue with all parties involved – from the person calculating the exact curvature of the mirroring panels and the construction worker who put up the glass vitrines to the company that co-designed our rooftop forest,” Winy Maas added further.
Depot Boijmans Van Beunigen is a collaborative effort between Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, the Municipality of Rotterdam and the De Verre Bergen foundation. Designed by MVRDV and made possible by BAM Bouw en Techniek, Depot Boijmans Van Beunigen is likely to be opened for public viewing by the autumn of 2021.
Image Courtesy: MVRDV
Photographer: Ossip van Duivenbode