Following five years of preparation, the building for the Photo Elysée and Mudac in Lausanne has now been completed. The structure, an elegant concrete building defined by minimalist architecture geometries and a robust look, is the brainchild of Portuguese architect Manuel Aires Mateus and his Lisbon-based team. Part of the city's growing art district, this museum hub is a key cultural destination for Lausanne, and Switzerland as a whole.
Right from the outset and the studio's competition entry, Aires Mateus’ design united the two museums and their collections and programmes seamlessly in a single building. The organisers explain: ‘A “box” for photography, a “box” for design, united by a meeting space, a place for living together, as an extension of the public space, in the perspective of Plateforme 10. An invitation to a walk.'
Spanning more than 1,500 sq m of exhibition space and a wealth of outdoor areas in the form of green gardens, patios and a green roof, the project is set to become a hub of cultural and social activity for the city. The complex consists of two interconnected wings that offer ample, clean exhibition halls. A dramatic central staircase not only connects the two sections of the building programme but also offers a sense of arrival, monumentality and clarity in the arrangement's vision.
Light played a key role in sculpting the forms inside and out. Skylights, strategically placed slits on the wall and larger openings come together to create a masterfully illuminated interior. ‘We wanted visitors, no matter where they stand in the foyer, to always be in plain view, with the impression of being outside. Our aim was to trigger a particular spatial sensation. For us, this was the architecture’s main role,' says Aires Mateus.
Meanwhile, a café, a library and a bookshop complement the flexible exhibition areas, making this a functional and considered whole. ‘The halls have to be neutral enough to allow for frequent changes in the scenography. We designed a foyer with well-defined spaces, while the exhibition areas remain open to allow for free use,' the architect adds.
INFORMATION
-
Good grief, Charlie Brown! Why are watch brands so obsessed with Peanuts?It’s 75 years since Charles Schultz first published his Peanuts comic strip, and there are still new Snoopy watches launching yearly. The question is, why?
-
Experience the profound power of the Brumadinho Memorial, honouring the victims of Brazil’s mining tragedyA deeply moving memorial by Gustavo Penna creates a space for collective mourning and remembrance in Brumadiño, Brazil
-
Shoreline Bespoke proposes a stunning new lightweight supercarCalifornian start-up Shoreline Bespoke believes its LM Coupe recaptures the spirit of 60s sports cars
-
The Monthly Architecture Edit: Wallpaper’s favourite July housesFrom geometric Japanese cottages to restored modernist masterpieces, these are the best residential projects to have crossed the architecture desk this month
-
George Lucas’ otherworldly Los Angeles museum is almost finished. Here’s a sneak peekArchitect Ma Yansong walks us through the design of the $1 billion Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, set to open early next year
-
The great American museum boomNine of the world’s top ten most expensive, recently announced cultural projects are in the US. What is driving this investment, and is this statistic sustainable?
-
Mayumi Miyawaki’s Fukumura Cottage puts this lesser-known Japanese modernist in the spotlightDiscover the little-known modernist architect through this private home in Japan’s Tochigi prefecture countryside
-
A Karuizawa house is a soothing, work-from-home retreat in JapanTakeshi Hirobe Architects play with scale and space, creating a tranquil residence in which to live and work
-
Naoshima New Museum of Art is a home for Asian art, and a lasting legacy, in Seto Inland SeaThe Naoshima New Museum of Art opens, marking a seminal addition to the Japanese island's renowned Benesse Art Site Naoshima; we explore Tadao Ando's design
-
Behind a contemporary veil, this Kyoto house has tradition at its coreDesigned by Apollo Architects & Associates, a Kyoto house in Uji City is split into a series of courtyards, adding a sense of wellbeing to its residential environment
-
Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa on harmony, nature and their RIBA gongThe SANAA duo are celebrating their RIBA Royal Gold Medal 2025 in London today, and talked to us about self-reflection, the year ahead, and the need to create harmony in our environment
