Kunstmuseum Liechtenstein

Location: Vaduz, Liechtentein
Architects: Heinrich Degelo, Meinrad Morger and Christian Kerez

The monolithic cast concrete body of the museum has a quiet, refined elegance. The dark concrete facade has been ground and polished to reveal black basalt and colored Rhine River gravel aggregate giving the surface a seamless, terrazzo-like character. The top of the building--as much of a fifth facade as a roof--is made up of carefully arranged skylights punctuated at opposite corners by grilles discretely concealing mechanical functions.

The gallery spaces have a “pinwheel” organization and gracefully radiate around a central stairway linking lower, ground and upper levels. The material palate is kept simple: at the ground level--oak floor, black metal window frame, white art walls and rectangular lighting elements set flush with the ceiling; at the upper level--oak floor, white art walls and a ceiling composed of translucent light diffusing panels.

The purity of the material palate is maintained by the careful and seamless integration of the building systems. Heating and cooling are achieved through radiant hydronic tubes cast in the structural concrete slab below the wood floor. Fresh air is supplied through carefully integrated architectural reveals. On the ground level these reveals occur between the flush ceiling light fixtures and the ceiling. On the upper level the reveals occur between the translucent ceiling panels. Return air exits through a reveal between the gallery floor and wall. The air then travels behind the art wall before returning to the mechanical room, maintaining a consistent temperature and humidity on both sides of the art wall. The light loft, located above the translucent ceiling panels, discretely hides and consolidates many of the gallery devices. Art hanging points, attachment points for spot lights, adjustable louvers to control daylight and artificial lighting all reside in this area. Security cameras and air sampling devices for smoke detection are located throughout the building but appear only as small dark apertures located high up on the gallery walls--unseen by anyone who is not looking for them.