Botta Projects 23 Created 18-Nov-11 By Huang Rui, Copenhagen, Denmark Tschuggen Bergoase Arosa, Switzerland spa, hotel Church in Seriate Musuem Tinguely Bank BIS Church of San Giovanni Battista La Fortezza Offices and Housing San Francisco Museum of Modern Art Entrance Faculty of Letters and Philosophy 7 Querini Stampalia Foundation Querini Stampalia bookshop & café 14 La Vista 15 Cappella di Santa Maria degli Angeli 16 Casa Bianchi 17 Riva San Vitale, Switzerland private house 8 de Nieuwe Poort 18 Deventer, Netherlands commercial space, housing, mixed-use development, office 9 Mediatheque Villeurbanne 19 Villeurbanne, France education, library 10 Friedrich Dürrenmatt Centre 20 Neuchatel, Switzerland museum 11 Chiesa di San Pietro Apostolo 21 Merate, Italy church Venice, Italy Carlo Scarpa education, university Rivera, Switzerland chapel Turin, Italy church 6 San Francisco, United States museum Santo Volto 13 Cruquius, Netherlands housing, underground parking Maastricht, Netherlands housing, office 5 Mogno, Switzerland church, religion Renewal of Querini Stampalia Foundation Venice, Italy cafe, museum, restaurant, shop Basel, Switzerland commercial space, office 4 Basel, Switzerland museum Venice, Italy exposition space, museum, renovation Seriate, Italy religion, church 3 12 Venice, Italy Carlo Scarpa exposition space, museum http://wwwmimoaeu/users/ray/guides/botta/ Centro Sportivo Nationale 22 Tenero-Contra, Switzerland sport, youth house 1
Cathedral Evry Evry, France church, culture 23 Central Bus Terminal Central library 25 Dortmund, Germany library 24 Lugano, Switzerland bus station http://wwwmimoaeu/users/ray/guides/botta/ 2
photo: Tschuggen Spa photo: Tschuggen Spa Tschuggen Bergoase Sonnenbergstrasse 1 7050 Arosa Switzerland http://wwwtschuggench/en/ "A spa is very much like a sacred space," says Botta The Tschuggen Bergoase Spa is carved into a mountain 1,800 m above sea level and runs over 4 floors The interior walls are clad in Arosa granite The building is topped by a series of 9 eye-catching "light trees" sail-like structures that capture natural light "At night, they are magnificently illuminated and shine like beacons They expose spaces to light that would not otherwise be illuminated And although the Spa is carved into a mountain, overall it is not a grotto in that it is defined by open spaces with smooth walls The concept is that of a sanctuary a place to escape" The Bergoase Spa is next to the five-star Tschuggen Grand Hotel, close to the ski slopes Hotel and spa are linked by a glass bridge that carries guests into the building through a second-floor reception area The architecture mixes an open-plan design where you can see down onto all 4 floors from the uppermost level and private treatment spaces photo: Tschuggen Spa 12-2006 5300 m² Acoustics consultant Project manager Services engineer Contractor IFEC Consulenze Fanzun Bühler + Scherler Brunold AG Grand Hotel Tschuggen MI_MOA Daily ICE or IC express to Chur, from where the Arosa Express departs hourly during the day http://wwwmimoaeu/users/ray/guides/botta/ 3
photo: Marieke Mannens photo: Marieke Mannens Church in Seriate Via Fiume Po 1 24068 Seriate Italy The new church, dedicated to Holy Pope Giovanni XIII, is located close to the 17th century church of San Alessandro Martire in the suburb of Paderno-Seriate south of Bergamo It's squared ground floor is the center of the whole project site, with a side length of 25 meters and a height of 23 meters The bearing structure is reinforced concrete, the facades are clad in natural stone slabs of Stone di Verona, while the interior walls are covered with panels of gilded wood The interior space offers itself as a one and only volume shaped by the lateral wall, light flows in down along the walls from the four roof skylights The same Verona stone characterizing the buildings exterior is also used, polished, in the interior as a continuity of the whole flooring shaping the plinth of the walls and the liturgy furniture A stone clad twin apse completes the church space and offers a sculptural work with a crucifixion scene realised by the Italian artist Giuliano Vangi photo: Marieke Mannens 2004 625 m² Parish of SS Redentore, Seriate Bergamo Marieke_Mannens http://wwwmimoaeu/users/ray/guides/botta/ 4
photo: Maarten Thewissen photo: Ryan Taube Musuem Tinguely Grenzacherstrasse 210 4002 Basel Switzerland http://wwwtinguelych/ Jean Tinguely (1925-1991) grew up in Basel and belonged to the Parisian avant-garde in the 1950s and 60s He stimulated and revolutionized the "static" art world with his kinetic works The Museum's permanent collections present a selection of the artist's machine sculptures, reliefs and drawings from all the periods of his career The Museum also offers a varied and lively programme of temporary shows devoted to Tinguely's fellow artists and contemporaries - Bernhard Luginbühl, Niki de Saint Phalle and Yves Klein - and to his models such as Marcel Duchamp and Kurt Schwitters, as well as to related subjects such as contemporary kinetic art photo: Ryan Taube 1996 6057 m² F Hoffman-La Roche, Basel rtaube Tuesday - Sunday 11-19 Mondays closed Tel: +41 (0)61 681 93 20 every Sunday there are guided tours: 1130 h (no booking necessary, cost: admission ticket) Main Rail Station SBB: Tram no 2 to Wettsteinplatz, switch to Bus no 31 Badischer Bahnhof: Bus no 36 Highway: exit Basel Wettstein http://wwwmimoaeu/users/ray/guides/botta/ 5
photo: Maarten Helle photo: Nazar Leskiw Bank BIS Aeschenplatz 1 4051 Basel Switzerland http://wwwbisorg/about/buildingshtm This building sits on the edge of the downtown in Basel, about halfway between the train station and the river Botta's design for the UBS bank (now the BIS bank) is his largest north of the Alps The powerful half-circle design is used often in his projects as well as the alternating bands of light and dark stone It's presence dominates the Aeschenplatz, yet it's symmetry and curving facade fit perfectly into the site 1994 rtaube photo: Ryan Taube from the Central train station, exit to the north and walk past the light rail trains Continue along Aeschengraben until you reach the Aeschenplatz http://wwwmimoaeu/users/ray/guides/botta/ 6
photo: Maarten Helle photo: Maarten Helle Church of San Giovanni Battista S Giovanni Battista 6696 Mogno Switzerland Aside from a glazed roof, this church is enveloped, inside and out, by alternating runs and blocks of grey Riveo granite and white Peccia marble both native to the region The modern marble and granite Church of San Giovanni Battista (St John the Baptist), designed by Ticinese architect (born 1943) is the main attraction for the little village of Mogno The church was erected between 1994 and 1996 on the site of its 350-year old predecessor, which was levelled by an avalanche in 1986 This catastrophe also claimed several of the homes in the village, although luckily no-one was injured in this event (text from Wikipedia) 1996 HelleBeelden photo: Maarten Helle Mogno is a village in Vallemaggia District in the canton of Ticino, Switzerland http://wwwmimoaeu/users/ray/guides/botta/ 7
photo: Sahil Latheef photo: Sahil Latheef La Fortezza Offices and Housing Avenue Ceramique 1 6221 KV Maastricht Netherlands The site of La Fortezza Offices and Housing is located at a turning point on the central axis of a newly built area The lot is triangular, one side of which is formed by a street in a residential area and the other by a motorway The issue of the corner is dealt with by use of a cylinder which, placed in the middle, articulates two linear volumes The determination of uses is expressed by the volumetric composition Hence the apartments are located in the cylindrical volume, while the offices are located in the two linear ones In its tripartite articulation of surface, the design features deep cuts that reveal loggias and an ordered repetition of windows The cylinder, being almost double the height of the linear volumes, becomes the focal point A square courtyard is delineated within the cylinder and two large portals in front and a generous cut at the rear reveal the courtyard to the exterior photo: Sahil Latheef Project is not public! 2000 8000 m² Contractor Büro Hoen architecten Wilma Vastgoed Sahil_Latheef http://wwwmimoaeu/users/ray/guides/botta/ 8
photo: Ryan Taube photo: Ken McCown San Francisco Museum of Modern Art Third Street 151 San Francisco California 94103 United States http://wwwsfmomaorg Completed in 1995, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (also known as SFMOMA) marks the first time designed a building in the United States It became an instant architectural landmark in the city of San Francisco The simple geometry belies a thoroughly detailed brick façade with a monumental atrium extending the height of the building and topped with Botta's signature zebra striped tower The gallery spaces seamlessly interact with the atrium, drawing the visitor ever higher At the top of the atrium a sky bridge connects the galleries to a roof deck which will eventually house a roof garden, scheduled for completion in 2009 1995 20900 m² Associate architect HOK rtaube photo: Ryan Taube Monday & Tuesday: 1000-1745 / Wednesday: closed / Thursday: 1000-2145 / Friday: 1000-1745 / Saturday & Sunday: 1000-1945 From the East Bay: take Interstate 80 and exit at Fremont Street Take an immediate left from Fremont onto Howard Street and get into the right lane Go two blocks and turn right onto Third Street From the Peninsula: take Highway 101 until it connects to Interstate 80 and exit at Fourth Street; Fourth immediately leads onto Bryant Street Take a left from Bryant onto Third Street and follow it until you reach the museum http://wwwmimoaeu/users/ray/guides/botta/ 9
photo: Marloes Faber photo: Marloes Faber Santo Volto Via Borgaro 3 10149 Turin Italy Santo Volto Church in Turin has a heptagonal plan surrounded by seven towers to which the lower bodies of the chapels are connected The choice for this plan, besides having a strong religious and symbolic meaning, orients the main axis of the church towards the city The new parish complex gathers all the services once spread all over the city Below the church main hall there is a hypogeal congress hall Inside the other bodies of the building, in addition to offices and apartments, there is a ferial chapel, a parsonage and other facilities for the youth formation and recreation From one side it visually reminds of the industrial roots of the place, from the other side it supports the cross Surrounded by a helical steel structure with thin, spiked sheets that recall thorns, the chimney gleams by day and by night (from website World ure News) photo: Marloes Faber 12-2006 26300 m² Cardinal Severino Poletto for the Parish of Santo Volto Marloes_Faber http://wwwmimoaeu/users/ray/guides/botta/ 10
photo: Dave Brown photo: Dave Brown Entrance Faculty of Letters and Philosophy Dorsoduro 1686 30123 Venice Italy http://wwwuniveit/lettere The entrance to the faculty of philosophy in Venice was designed between 1976 and 1978 by Venice born architect Carlo Scarpa It was completed posthumously Scarpa died on the 28th of November 1978, in Sendai in the north of Japan, following an accidental fall from a staircase So ended the creative life of one of the Masters of 20th century architecture His architecture is deeply sensitive to the changes of time, from seasons to history, rooted in a sensuous material imagination and has been widely praised from Tadao Ando to He was Botta's thesis adviser along with Giuseppe Mazzariol -- the latter was the Director of the Fondazione Querini Stampalia when Scarpa completed his renovation and garden for that institution (also published on MIMOA) photo: Dave Brown 1979 Carlo Scarpa MI_MOA Ca'Foscari University, San Sebastiano View route details here: http://wwwuniveit/phpapps/maps2/gadgetphp?id=990007 http://wwwmimoaeu/users/ray/guides/botta/ 11
photo: Apollo Spiliotis photo: Apollo Spiliotis Querini Stampalia Foundation Castello 5252 30122 Venice Italy http://wwwquerinistampaliait/ The Foundation Querini Stampalia was founded in 1869 by the will of John Conte, the last descendant of the family of Venetian patrician Querini Stampalia It is the only example where, of an ancient family, they preserved heritage, home, library, archives, collections of art, furniture and furnishings The sixteenth century palace, located between Rialto and San Marco, houses a library, civic center and historical museum The ground floor and garden were redesigned by Carlo Scarpa in the early 60s Recently has designed the new access, bookshop and cafeteria (See also on MIMOA) The Foundation organizes exhibitions, conferences, meetings, seminars and collaborations with organizations and companies, some of which are associated with the Circle Queriniano - The members of the Circle support actively the life of the Foundation by participating in the development and growth of its activities and its archival collections literature and art) photo: Apollo Spiliotis 1963 Carlo Scarpa Fondazione Querini Stampalia MI_MOA Museum exhibitions: Tuesday to Saturday 10 / 20; Sunday and holidays 10 / 19; closed Monday Library and Emeroteca: Tuesday to Saturday 10 / 24; Sunday and holidays 10 / 19; closed Monday Bookshop: Tuesday to Saturday 10 / 2015; Sunday and holidays 10 / 1915; closed Monday Cafeteria and Restaurant: Tuesday to Saturday 10 / 2345; Sunday and holidays 10 / 19; closed Monday http://wwwmimoaeu/users/ray/guides/botta/ 12
photo: Architetto photo: Architetto Renewal of Querini Stampalia Foundation Castello 5252 30122 Venice Italy http://wwwquerinistampaliait/ Situated in the redesigned public areas on the ground floor of Palazzo Querini Stampalia set up the bookshop of the Foundation and a cafeteria The bookshop offers first publications on collections and exhibitions of Querini Stampalia You may also find a careful selection of books on contemporary, design and photography Qcoffee, the cafeteria, opens onto a garden, designed by Carlo Scarpa in the late fifties The cafeteria offers each day its catering services to those attending the Library, visit the Museum, participating in various activities of the Foundation or simply want to enjoy a break in an uncommon area One quick snack or a working lunch, a cocktail or dinner thus becomes the occasion for a special experience, a journey between architecture and contemporary tastes 4-2008 Fondazione Querini Stampalia MI_MOA photo: Jean-Pierre Dalbera Museum exhibitions: Tuesday to Saturday 10 / 20; Sunday and holidays 10 / 19; closed Monday Library and Emeroteca: Tuesday to Saturday 10 / 24; Sunday and holidays 10 / 19; closed Monday Bookshop: Tuesday to Saturday 10 / 2015; Sunday and holidays 10 / 1915; closed Monday Cafeteria and Restaurant: Tuesday to Saturday 10 / 2345; Sunday and holidays 10 / 19; closed Monday http://wwwmimoaeu/users/ray/guides/botta/ 13
photo: Apollo Spiliotis photo: Fondazione Querini Stampalia Querini Stampalia bookshop & café Castello 5252 30122 Venice Italy http://wwwquerinistampaliait/ Situated in the redesigned public areas on the ground floor of Palazzo Querini Stampalia set up the bookshop of the Foundation and a cafeteria The bookshop offers first publications on collections and exhibitions of Querini Stampalia You may also find a careful selection of books on contemporary, design and photography Qcoffee, the cafeteria, opens onto a garden, designed by Carlo Scarpa in the late fifties The cafeteria offers each day its catering services to those attending the Library, visit the Museum, participating in various activities of the Foundation or simply want to enjoy a break in an uncommon area One quick snack or a working lunch, a cocktail or dinner thus becomes the occasion for a special experience, a journey between architecture and contemporary tastes photo: Fondazione Querini Stampalia 4-2008 Fondazione Querini Stampalia MI_MOA Museum exhibitions: Tuesday to Saturday 10 / 20; Sunday and holidays 10 / 19; closed Monday Library and Emeroteca: Tuesday to Saturday 10 / 24; Sunday and holidays 10 / 19; closed Monday Bookshop: Tuesday to Saturday 10 / 2015; Sunday and holidays 10 / 1915; closed Monday Cafeteria and Restaurant: Tuesday to Saturday 10 / 2345; Sunday and holidays 10 / 19; closed Monday http://wwwmimoaeu/users/ray/guides/botta/ 14
La Vista Cruquiusdijk 40 2142 ER Cruquius Netherlands http://wwwlavistanl/ This housing complex - consisting of luxury apartments - has been designed by It features underground parking and is located next to the historical pumping station De Cruquius Project is not public! 2008 jpmm Next to the monumental 'Gemaal De Cruquius' (Cruquius Pumping Station) in the village of Cruquius (Municipality of Haarlemmermeer) http://wwwmimoaeu/users/ray/guides/botta/ 15
Cappella di Santa Maria degli Angeli Alpe Foppa / Monte Tamaro 6802 Rivera Switzerland The building 'detaches' itself, as it were, from the mountain to form a new horizon, the starting point of an ideal viaduct The passageway begins at the natural slope of the mountain, and offers two paths: one, open air, leading out to a belvedere that looks out across the valley, and another leading down inside the walls towards the church entrance beneath The roof of the chapel is formed by the amphitheatre-type steps, turned back towards the mountain, thereby negating the very idea of a roof and transforming the architectonic gesture into a continuous passageway that offers new mountain views The plastic forms, the transverse composition, and the innovative configurations make up a kind of 'negative' image gathered beneath the horizon of the walkway Inside, the circular space of the church has three naves; the lower central one is distinguished at the entrance by two heavy columns, and narrows towards the area of the small apse that protrudes from the main volume of the church 1996 184 m² Main designer, Artist Enzo Cucchi Egidio Cattaneo jpmm Daily from 4 April - 1 November 2009: 0830-1700 Rivera is located between Bellinzona and Lugano Once there take a cable car to the Alpe Foppa at 1530m http://wwwmimoaeu/users/ray/guides/botta/ 16
Casa Bianchi Via Fomeggie 6 Riva San Vitale Switzerland This single-family house is located at the foot of the San Giorgio mountain, on the banks of Lake Lugano The house establishes a dialectic play with the environment, emphasized by its minimal occupation of the site and by the thin metal bridge that establishes the physical relationship between the house and the mountain The 'tower', virtually defined by four corner piers and carved with geometric cuts through which the light penetrates, is organized along the vertical axis in a succession of different architectural situations and rhythms The spatial interpenetration between interior and exterior thus gives shape to a 'filter zone', terraces within the perimeter in its functional organization: the upper part holds the entrance atrium, a study, and the stairs leading to the lower floors, where the parents' room is located These levels are partially open and in communication with the living and dining area below, while the services are placed in the basement Project is not public! 1973 220 m² Bianchi Family jpmm From the village, take the road north along the lake Via Fomeggie is a small path upwards on the left http://wwwmimoaeu/users/ray/guides/botta/ 17
de Nieuwe Poort Mr HF de Boerlaan 7411 Deventer Netherlands Offices, commercial space, a parking garage and rowhousing This project creates a new entrance to the old city: de Nieuwe Poort (the new gate) The architectural image of the canal to revitalize is modelled on that of the inner city, which old and new buildings mixed up stand That approach leaves room for new buildings of a remarkable typology Botta architect took inspiration for the office buildings the medieval town and one hundred years old warehouses nearby Frontal view of the façade looks completely flat From the side the building shows surprisingly much relief, a theme in many of Botta buildings The thin aluminium frames, which are set deep in the façade Thus the façade looks more solid Public access unknown! 2009 5600 m² Main designer, I'M s Le Clercq Planontwikkeling bv jpmm The train station is in walking distance A1 freeway can easy be reached over the Mr HF de Boerlaan, the Zutphenseweg and Deventerweg from the location http://wwwmimoaeu/users/ray/guides/botta/ 18
Mediatheque Villeurbanne Cours Amile Zola 247 69100 Villeurbanne France The idea from the outset was to construct a central element of reference And this corresponds to the necessity the architect feels to find a 'backbone' in every project, so that people entering the building will have a chance to orient themselves It could be a shaft of light or a structural element The idea for the competition was to create a house made of empty space within the solid building, with connecting stairs winding around the void Then, little by little, Botta arrived at the final solution, perhaps less complex, but maybe also better considering the building's relatively small dimensions There are no direct references to illuminist or neoclassical architecture This space was born more of an intuition of light, of static reasoning - but also of agreements with the fire department, who forced the architect to put the tempered glass around the central void 1988 City of Villeurbanne jpmm Take the metro to station Flachet, walk 200 meter to the west http://wwwmimoaeu/users/ray/guides/botta/ 19
Friedrich Dürrenmatt Centre Chemin du Pertuis du Sault 74 2000 Neuchatel Switzerland Located in Neuchâtel, the small museum houses the collection of drawings of the famous Swiss novelist and playwrite Friedrich Dürrenmatt The first, immediate decision of was to place the building next to Dürrenmatt's home Dürrenamtt's first house described as "a yellow dice with a flat roof ", features today as a bare white box next to that emerges the small tower, only visible sign of the new intevention, connecting the museum's underground levels The existing villa, reorganised on three levels with Dürrenmatt's library and a small cafeteria The new construction penetrates deep into the mountain and opens up in a bow downhill An introverted space, for contemplation and appreciation of the collection, it is a building that shapes and becomes shaped by the site The roof becomes a wide terrace for for the cafeteria, while the duplex concave exhibition space is characterised by rays of light dropping n from the ceiling along the curved wall 2000 820 m² Swiss Confederation jpmm Wednesday till Sunday from 1100 until 1700 Bus: 9/9b from the station to "Ermitage" and then by foot up the woody hill road (Chemin du pertuis du sault) Car: use a navigation divice to get there, parkingspace: 100 m past the museum in the woods, there is place for about 6 cars The road is fairly steep, curvy and narrow, so be careful http://wwwmimoaeu/users/ray/guides/botta/ 20
Chiesa di San Pietro Apostolo Via Monte Grappa 23807 Merate Italy "The image is that of a cube suspended above a cylinder The space of the church is generated from the tension between these volumes The two primary volumes actually conceal a great internal complexity created by the juxtaposition of various geometrical planes The overhead lighting from the perimeter of the square roof highlights the elementary form of the skin The side lighting, on the other hand, is transformed into a wall of light in the great arch of the choir thanks to the transparent onyx slabs shaping a tree as the backdrop to the nave" 1995 Associate architect Fabiano Redaelli Parish of San Pietro Apostolo, Sartirana jpmm church hours Car: from milano SS 342dir (via Statale) in Merate take via Stelvio/via Monte Grappa for 800m north-east, voila http://wwwmimoaeu/users/ray/guides/botta/ 21
Centro Sportivo Nationale Via Brere 6598 Tenero-Contra Switzerland The main building for sport and gymnastic facilities, is characterised on its south front by an generous portico which offers a shaded place of transition between the outdoor and indoor services The administration and hostel building has a semicircular shape, completely closed on the street front (functioning like a noise protection wall), while the south façade with the loggias is turned towards the lake Two main volume composes the site: the principle building (with the gymnastic hall provided with all sports facilities as well as a refectory) is structured by a row of 10 linear 760 m wide units creating a large portico of 11 m height The inner space offers an appropriate flexibility of organization according to the requested use Skylights inserted in the vaulted roof allow a bright daylight within the inner spaces The reinforced concrete bearing structure is clad with red bricks like the smaller semicircle building which houses lodging and administration 2001 10 m² Swiss Confederation jpmm from the freeway Bellinzona-Locarno take the exit Tenero, at the end of the exit you see the building in front of you http://wwwmimoaeu/users/ray/guides/botta/ 22
photo: bouwmeester Christiaan MJ Stockx photo: bouwmeester Christiaan MJ Stockx Cathedral Evry Place des Droits de l'homme 91000 Evry France http://cathedrale-evryceffr Centre point of the latest new 'arrondissement' of Paris : Evry The cathedral gives a soul to this new town, a place of togetherness, where people can meet and celebrate human solidarity in complete freedom, equality and brotherhood - "la maison des hommes" combines in this project several public services, as well as a housing project: a real city-centre 4-1996 Diocèse d'evry bouwmeester photo: bouwmeester Christiaan MJ Stockx mon - sat : 1000-1300 h - 1400-1800 h sundays : 1430 1900 h http://wwwmimoaeu/users/ray/guides/botta/ 23
Central Bus Terminal Via Corso Enrico Pestalozzi 6900 Lugano Switzerland The platform roof for the new central bus terminal of the public urban transports is located on the city square of the Piazzale Ex-Scuole, and has a front line of 70 meters along Corso Pestalozzi, and a side depth of 18 meters The project is composed of a central, 7 meter high nave with two 5 meter high side aisles, formed by two opposed structures, which create a new urban space, offering a protection platform roof for the Bus stop and on the south front, the connection with the parking lot for cars, bikes and scooters The bearing structure is made of a steel frame with a double beam - supported by only 4 columns - jerking as a roof on each fronts at both the heights of 5 and 7 meters The structure is covered with a translucent material (plexiglas) and offers an opaque surface allowing a filtered light The given effect of the translucent surface characterizes the whole spot of this central bus station, whether offering wide, bright and weather protected spaces 2002 1260 m² Structural engineer Passera Pedretti & Partners City of Lugano jpmm From the Stazione FFS take the bus to Autosilo Bale Car from the E35, exit 50, Lugano-Sud, roundabout 2nd exit, roundabout 1st exit, Viale Giuseppe Cattori, left Riva Paradiso along the lake, 2,5 km left Via Degli Albrizzi, 300 m the Via Corso Pestalozzi http://wwwmimoaeu/users/ray/guides/botta/ 24
Central library Koningswall 18 44137 Dortmund Germany Botta's idea here is to stress the public dimension of the new building, so he divides the complex into two distinct parts It is situated next to the railway station, and stands as a symbol of the city The layout develops as a rigid, linear body, almost a solid wall, and opposite, a transparent, truncated cone is the library's reading room The façade of the large tower volume is broken at regular intervals by slender vertical openings in contrast with the strong, solid image of the parallelepiped The double glazed "skin" of the reading room is structured by a skeleton of steel elements, like the tie-beams of a circus tent, that support by means of tension the flat roofing surface The interior image allows a glimpse of the distribution of paths on the two floors that house the reading rooms, consulting rooms, computer roomsthus, the contrast between the two volumes and the different nuances of the materials create a very strong tension running through the two distinct images 1995 7000 m² City of Dortmund jpmm Tue -Fri: 10:00-19:00 h Saturday: 10:00-15:00 h On the other side of the train station http://wwwmimoaeu/users/ray/guides/botta/ 25