‘rapperswil-jona municipal museum extension’ by :mlzd in rapperswil-jona, switzerland all images courtesy :mlzd image © dominique marc wehrli

swiss architecture practice :mlzd has shared with us images of the ‘rapperswil-jona municipal museum extension’, a project that aims to provide a better flowing circulation for the pre-existing buildings of the cultural facility in rapperswil-jona, switzerland. in addition to establishing a more intuitive layout, the design seeks to lend a new exterior identity to the museum with a bronze perforated facade that folds between two historic structures.

:mlzd: rapperswil jona municipal museum extension - 2 exterior views of south elevation images © dominique marc wehrli

the winning design of a competition held in 2007, one of the criteria for the new building was to leave the overall townscape as seen from the north unchanged. in response, the project inserts itself discreetly by a narrow street, integrating itself in to the town through scale and proportions. contrasting from its immediate surroundings is the geometric exterior finish: a bronze skin that pleats in and out to avoid crossing over the old buildings’ windows, resulting in a sculptural effect to the facade. small circular perforation ranging from dense to sparse collections admit natural light into the interior in a controlled fashion.

:mlzd: rapperswil jona municipal museum extension - 3 street view image © dominique marc wehrli

as a new part of the whole complex, the extension provides disabled access as well as a new main entrance from the street. additional rooms, operations and exhibition spaces enable a flexible use of the facility. individual area benefits from different qualities – natural light, views, vertical height – to host a variety of exhibitions. gradually shifted in orientation, the scaling staircases offer unexpected perspectives and vistas of both the town and the museum.

:mlzd: rapperswil jona municipal museum extension - 4 interior view image © dominique marc wehrli

:mlzd: rapperswil jona municipal museum extension - 5 (left) entrance (right) staircase images © dominique marc wehrli

:mlzd: rapperswil jona municipal museum extension - 6 intersecting staircases image © dominique marc wehrli

:mlzd: rapperswil jona municipal museum extension - 7 images © dominique marc wehrli

:mlzd: rapperswil jona municipal museum extension - 8 image © dominique marc wehrli

:mlzd: rapperswil jona municipal museum extension - 9 image © dominique marc wehrli

:mlzd: rapperswil jona municipal museum extension - 10 images © dominique marc wehrli

:mlzd: rapperswil jona municipal museum extension - 11 site image © dominique marc wehrli

:mlzd: rapperswil jona municipal museum extension - 12 site plan

:mlzd: rapperswil jona municipal museum extension - 13 floor plan / level 0

:mlzd: rapperswil jona municipal museum extension - 14 floor plan / level +1

:mlzd: rapperswil jona municipal museum extension - 15 floor plan / level +2

:mlzd: rapperswil jona municipal museum extension - 16 floor plan / level +3

:mlzd: rapperswil jona municipal museum extension - 17 floor plan / roof level

:mlzd: rapperswil jona municipal museum extension - 18 cross section

:mlzd: rapperswil jona municipal museum extension - 19 longitudinal section

:mlzd: rapperswil jona municipal museum extension - 20 north elevation

:mlzd: rapperswil jona municipal museum extension - 21 south elevation

:mlzd: rapperswil jona municipal museum extension - 22 scheme

project info:

client: ortsgemeinde rapperswil-jona, stadt rapperswil-jona floor space: 990 m2 (old buildings / 820 m2, new building / 170 m2) storeys: 4 structure: concrete project team: pat tanner, andreas frank, monica udrea, daniele di giacinto, carol hutmacher, claude marbach, roman lehmann, regina tadorian, rene robeck, julia wurst, beat junker, frederike kluth