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MVRDV's art depot for Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen nears completion

New photographs reveal that the MVRDV-designed Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen is nearing completion in Rotterdam.

The images, released by MVRDV, show that most of the curved mirror cladding is now in place and trees are being installed on the roof.

Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen by MVRDV nearly complete — Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen will complete later this year. Photo by Arjen Ketting

The bowl-shaped structure will serve as a public art depot for the Museum Boijmans van Beuningen. It is scheduled to open in 2021, but the building is on track to be completed later this year.

A topping out ceremony already took place in the Dutch city, in September 2019.

Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen by MVRDV trees installed on roof — Most of the curved mirror cladding is now in place. Photo is by Fred Ernst

The public art depot is being built in Rotterdam's Museumpark, the public garden that stretches between the Museum Boijmans van Beuningen and the OMA-designed Kunsthal art museum.

A former OMA employee, MVRDV co-founder Winy Maas was part of the team that designed the park, along with landscape architect Yves Brunier.

To reduce the building's impact on the park, MVRDV kept its footprint as small as possible, hence the bowl shape.

A sculpture garden is being added on the roof, to make up for the lost green space. Over the next two weeks, 75 birch trees are being installed on this roof.

"When Yves Brunier designed the Museumpark with OMA, I helped with the selection of the old trees," said Maas.

Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen by MVRDV mirrored facade — Over the next two weeks, 75 birch trees will be installed. Photo is by Fred Ernst

"Now that the birches are being placed on the roof of the depot, the circle is complete; we are taking the park we removed to the top of the depot and enlarging it," he continued.

"Soon, people will be able to take the express lift up, free of charge, and enjoy a spectacular view of the city at a height of 34 metres."

Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen by MVRDV render — MVRDV won a competition for the project in 2014

MVRDV won a competition to design the Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen in 2014. Billed as the first publicly accessible art depot in the world, it will allow the public to see how and where historic artworks are stored.

The building will contain enough storage for the museum's 151,000-piece collection, as well as exhibition halls and a restaurant.

The project has proved controversial, with critics arguing that its size overpowers the small park.

Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen by MVRDV visualisation — It is billed as the world's first publicly-accessible art depot

Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen is expected to open its doors to the public for the first time on 25 to 27 September 2020, while it is still empty.

It will then close for a year to allow artworks to be deposited inside.

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Arper founder Luigi Feltrin dies aged 85 from coronavirus

Luigi Feltrin, founder of Italian furniture brand Arper, has passed away near Venice at the age of 85 after contracting coronavirus.

Feltrin, who started Arper with his sons Claudio and Mauro in 1989, died on Sunday 5 April 2020.

"My brother Mauro, my son Giulio and particularly I were lucky enough to be able to work alongside my father at the company," said Arper's president Claudio Feltrin.

"The past 48 years have enriched me in a priceless way, because with a mentor like him, one can only get better and better."

Luigi Feltrin was born in 1934 in Italy and lived in the northwestern Piedmont region when he was young. He moved across the border to live in Switzerland for a period, before returning to Italy and starting a leather processing business.

Feltrin could "see beyond the obvious"

It was this experience with the material that he channelled into founding a furniture brand with his family – Arper – in Monastier di Treviso, north of Venice.

His employees credited their founder's natural intuition and "ability to see beyond the obvious" for Arper's continued success.

Today the brand employs 260 people and has a turnover of €72 million (£63.5 million). Arper has 12 showrooms around the world, including New York.

Among the company's releases is the relaunched bowl-shaped chair designed in 1951 by Modernist architect Lina Bo Bardi.

"He visited the company daily"

In a statement from the brand, Feltrin was commemorated as a committed and caring founder.

"Intuition and entrepreneurial spirit have always distinguished Mr. Luigi, who was loved not only by his family but also by Arper’s employees, with whom he always maintained a sincere and participatory relationship," read the statement from Arper.

"He visited the company daily and never failed to share his passion and sincere admiration for the brand and its products with everyone."

"Start out again and do things better"

On the Arper website, its founder is remembered in the words of advice he gave to his employees.

"I tell young people that we may find a few difficulties and obstacles along our life’s path. But they mustn’t get downhearted at the first hurdle, they should stop and think things over. Not for too long, a quarter of an hour at most," said the late Feltrin.

"Start out again and do things better. Don’t get discouraged, think things over. It has happened to me several times," he added.

"I just stopped and then started out again."

Italy has had one of the worst outbreaks of coronavirus in the world, with over 16,500 deaths. Another victim of the virus was Italian architect Vittorio Gregotti.

Main image is by Giovanni Gastel.

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from Dezeen https://ift.tt/39OVI6F