State Gallery Niederösterreich

The new museum follows an innovative architectural concept. Governor Johanna Mikl-Leitner is enthusiastic: "The Landesgalerie Niederösterreich is the most outstanding new museum building in Austria in recent years and will present the art treasures of the provincial collections in exciting exhibitions. With its unique architecture, a new gem in crystalline form has been created here at the gates of the Wachau."

The Landesgalerie Niederösterreich opens to the visitor with wide, light-flooded arches that form the start of the museum visit. A total of 3,000 square meters of exhibition space is available. The path leads through the four-story new building to the presentation area in the basement, all interior views in perfect exposed concrete, where it connects the museum with the Kunsthalle Krems. The facade was clad with 7,200 matt, silver-grey zinc shingles. The building was constructed of reinforced concrete, and cooling is provided via component activation.

Marte Marte describe the challenge for the construction company to form the twisted shape of the building. The cube with a footprint of 33 by 33 meters is 23 meters high and rotates dynamically on its own axis. The floors with room heights between 6.05 meters and 4.50 meters taper minimally upwards. The ceiling thicknesses are 55 centimeters. For the construction of the dynamic structure, the executing contractor used stabilizing frames, which made it possible for the wall inclinations of the formwork for the production of the curved and twisted walls to be spindled in simultaneously on the construction site. The form had to be concreted in individual sections - minor damage was promptly repaired by the specially engaged concrete restorer. The perfection of the workmanship can be seen particularly well inside the building.

(Text: Gisela Gary; Z+B Magazine; in shortened form)