The project proposal for a new Bauhaus Museum in Dessau takes its inspiration from a geometrical approach and intuition based on one of the three primary forms, the Circle. The circle provides a flexible space with a continuous perimeter, avoiding a corner condition and thus freeing the spatial arrangement inside. We began by identifying the main parts of the program and to separate them into main groups: logistics area, workshop, administration, foyer and exhibition space. Once defined, these core program nodes allowed us to then calculate a diameter for each area, resulting in four different circles. The next step was to position these circles in a way that could allow us to work around the biref requirements, basically finding a relationship to the surrounding context of the site. We understand the immediate necessity of connecting the city with the Stadtpark and most importantly the desire of the client to connect the city from south to north through the new museum. This meant that our project proposal needed to be a building that incorporated both landscape and architecture, and had the potential of becoming a reference point within the city Dessau. This reasoning made us understand the importance of the spaces created within the various “programmatic” circles, as it was clear that the remaining ‘in-between’ space is as equally important as the main parts that surrounds it. On this residual space is where most circulation and potential gathering for additional temporary exhibitions takes place. In other words, the foyer extends to every part of the building and is not concentrated within a defined area.

The lighting design on the exhibition galleries is of great importance to achieve the brief requirement regarding non-dayligh exhibition spaces. We propose a lighting system based on metallic tube rails that can carry a vast number of spotlights, allowing them to slide horizontally and reposition based on the exhibition needs. A secondary lighting system is located at the ceiling height. These are mostly fixed spotlights that provide ambient illumination for non exhibition related activities or during the setting out of future exhibits. The ceiling is made of thin 5mm alluminum louvers arrayed acrossed the entire exbition galleries from north to south, distanced at 20 cm from center. This louvered ceiling system allows for a discrete HVAC and MEP system layout to be installed between the concrete slab’s underside and the ceiling louvers. In the abscence of a sprinkler system, we are providing three fire exits within a 25 meter radius from any point within the exhibition space. Two of these fire stairs have immediate access to the outside on the ground floor level.

 

Entrance to the museum is located at a strategic crossing junction between Stadtpark and Kavalierstrase, creating a public circulation axis that connects Ratsgasse to the carpark on the west. The overall program is distributed in two separate levels, splitting the building vertically into two distinct parts: museum services and exhibition galleries. On the ground floor level we have located the museum services such as logistics, administration, foyer (with foyer functions), as well as the semi-public areas such as the cafeteria, workshops and events space, all spaces that can be accessed outside museum hours. On the upper floor level we have located the exhibition galleries as a large space that can be divided according to the brief requirements, taking into consideration the 1,500 sqm plus 400 sqm, and 400 sqm plus 600 sqm split. Both the lower and top levels are visually connected through an exterior courtyard that also serves as a light well and a primary source for natural ventilation to reduce the building’s overall energy consumption.

 

The material’s selection for the project proposal are mainly three: double-layered Low-E glazing, reinforced cast-in-place concrete and reclaimed timber. The pavement finish on the ground floor level is an epoxy resin flooring system. Steel will be used for the primary structure on the ground floor with a concrete structure above.