M2 Architetti, Kuno Mayr, Lamberto Amistadi.

Competition by invitation

2012

Mention

The purpose of the project is to achieve a coherent relationship between the museum facility and the architectural interventions.

The new "distribution mechanism" of the house is made of a wide elevator and a long staircase, and together they represent the architectural character of the new museum. The elevator as an autonomous and recognizable mechanical element is situated between the load-bearing structures of the Waag house and the Laubenhaus, allowing an explicit reading of the two originally separated buildings. The placing of the elevator also minimizes the demolition of the historically valuable vaults. The entire museum is intersected by the staircase that connects the tree thematic floors. It works as a promenade that allows to read both the building's architectural history and the thematic organization of the House of Photography. All four floors are stripped from the superfluous in order to highlight the beauty and complexity of the vaulted roofs. A large clear skylight allows an ideal lighting in the attic and the second floor. The large camera obscura at the second floor is the focal point of the visual experience, a magical place.