munch museum proposal by diller scofidio + renfro
all images courtesy diller scofidio + renfro

continuing our recent coverage of the munch museum design competition,
here is new york firm's diller scofidio + renfro proposal.

the museum is an amphibious land/water dweller. the programmatic organization of the
museum exploits land, water, and the in-between to create a rich experience for visitors
and a clear functional logic for museum staff. the back-of-house space of the museum is
land bound at the north, closest to urban support functions. entry to the museum and visitor
related spaces and services dip into the harbor through the sub-aquatic hall and connect
to the galleries that dramatically emerge from the water at the southern end in an iconic
art tower. this separation of the major building functions by water is both symbolic
and functional. it positions the art collections in a site that is free of the everyday, free
from distraction, free from time concerns. the separation also allows for a more secure
place for the art, elevated off the water with few and highly very visible attenuated routes
out of the building.