A new tome unfolds the history behind Ron Arad's Design Museum Holon

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Ron Arad Architects has released a new tome celebrating the fifth anniversary of the opening of the Design Museum Holon.
Ron Arad Architects has released a new tome celebrating the fifth anniversary of the opening of the Design Museum Holon. (Image credit: Michael Ainscough, Ron Arad Architects)

A book that celebrates the fifth anniversary of a building is not something we'd normally get excited about here at Wallpaper*. But a new tome by Ron Arad Architects has proved to be an exception to the rule. The epic and era-defining Design Museum Holon marked the Israeli architect and designer's first building in his home territory – an occasion festively wrapped in the emblematic ribbon colours of this handsome new book.

We at W* have something of a personal connection to the building, having featured it on a limited edition cover back in 2010, weeks before its opening. This was Arad’s favourite picture of the building, a geometric shot by Asa Bruno, who took many of the sweeping images inside the pages of Design(ing) Museum.

The edition replicates the whimsical style of the museum, made up of perforated French folds and wrapped up in rusted coloured ribs that echo the swooping curves of the building. Opening the perforations, innovation flies across the pages; telling the story behind the completed structure via development details and sketches of the impressive project, with a timeline of events and construction ending at the opening exhibition. It was a building of firsts – from being the first Israeli museum dedicated to design, to Arad experimenting with weathered Corten steel, and we get a meaty insight into the genius behind the build from the point of view of the firm itself.

Alongside, we're provided with a charming metal letter opener, also rustically carved in the swishing curves of the building, to playfully assist with opening the thick, perforated pages, revealing the story in full.

'We had this task: to do architecture as a piece of art,' the book informs us. The narrative is made all the more monumental for the unique experimentation and research explored in such a nascent design hub as Holon. ‘It would have to be widely recognisable, iconic but unthreatening,’ the architects explain – and it certainly was.

Design(ing) Museum replicates the whimsical style of the building – it's made up of perforated French folds and wrapped up in rusted coloured ribs that echo the swooping curves of the building.

Design(ing) Museum replicates the whimsical style of the building – it's made up of perforated French folds and wrapped up in rusted coloured ribs that echo the swooping curves of the building.

(Image credit: Michael Ainscough, Ron Arad Architects)

Ron Arad’s Design Museum Holon Book

Opening the perforations, innovation flies across the pages, telling the story behind the completed structure in full.

(Image credit: Michael Ainscough, Ron Arad Architects)

The book features development details and sketches of the impressive project, with a timeline of events and construction ending at the opening exhibition.

The book features development details and sketches of the impressive project, with a timeline of events and construction ending at the opening exhibition.

(Image credit: Asa Bruno, Ron Arad Architects)

We featured the museum on a limited edition cover back in 2010, weeks before its opening. This was Arad’s favourite picture of the building, a geometric shot by Asa Bruno

We featured the museum on a limited edition cover back in 2010, weeks before its opening. This was Arad’s favourite picture of the building, a geometric shot by Asa Bruno

(Image credit: Asa Bruno, Ron Arad Architects)

Ron Arad’s Design Museum Holon Book

'We had this task: to do architecture as a piece of art,' the book informs us. Courtesy Ron Arad Architects

(Image credit: Asa Bruno and Ron Arad Architects)

Holon design

The narrative is made all the more monumental for the unique experimentation and research explored in such a nascent design hub as Holon.

(Image credit: Asa Bruno, Ron Arad Architects)

Metal letter opener, also rustically carved in the swishing curves of the building

Alongside, we're provided with a charming metal letter opener, also rustically carved in the swishing curves of the building, to playfully assist with opening the thick, perforated pages, revealing the story in full.

(Image credit: Michael Ainscough, Ron Arad Architects)

Ron Arad’s Design Museum Holon Book

Design Museum Holon was a building of firsts – from being the first Israeli museum dedicated to design, to Arad experimenting with weathered Corten steel.

(Image credit: Michael Ainscough, Ron Arad Architects)

Ron Arad’s Design Museum Holon Book

‘It would have to be widely recognisable, iconic but unthreatening,’ the architects explain of the premise behind the project. Courtesy Ron Arad Architects

(Image credit: Michael Ainscough, Ron Arad Architects)

INFORMATION
Design(ing) Museum, $68, published by Lir & More. For more information, visit the publisher’s website

Sujata Burman

Sujata Burman is a writer and editor based in London, specialising in design and culture. She was Digital Design Editor at Wallpaper* before moving to her current role of Head of Content at London Design Festival and London Design Biennale where she is expanding the content offering of the showcases. Over the past decade, Sujata has written for global design and culture publications, and has been a speaker, moderator and judge for institutions and brands including RIBA, D&AD, Design Museum and Design Miami/. In 2019, she co-authored her first book, An Opinionated Guide to London Architecture, published by Hoxton Mini Press, which was driven by her aim to make the fields of design and architecture accessible to wider audiences.