The new Aargauer Kunsthaus by Herzog & de Meuron

After two years, the doors are reopening on the art museum in the Swiss town of Aarau, with a population of 16 thousand in Canton Aargau. It houses a remarkable collection of contemporary art – with works by Alberto Giacometti, Jean Tinguely, Richard Long and Fischli/Weiss among others – most of which was kept in the archives of the original building, extended in 1959 but now totally inadequate. In the new project, by Herzog & de Meuron in collaboration with the artist Rémy Zaugg, the spaces have more than doubled, to offer a total of 6 thousand square metres of exhibition surface.

The Swiss team, winner of a competition by invitation held in 1997, sought a dialogue with the existing building, constructed in 1956-59 by two local architects – Loepfe Hänni und Hänngli. The result is a harmonious blend of old and new that, on the inside, focuses on two spectacular elements: the entrance and the foyer, containing a cafeteria and bookshop with, beside it, a library open for free consultation. The roof – 783 square metres of actual surface – is covered with moss, grown on a layer of tufa.

The inaugural exhibition “Neue Räume” (New Spaces) until February – the title is a reference to the new spaces offered by the architectural project and those created within the collection – takes the opportunity to present the works in the permanent collection, further increased recently.

Aargauer Kunsthaus
Aargauerplatz, Aarau
T 062-8352330
E-mail: kunsthaus@ag.ch
http://www.aargauerkunsthaus.ch