eyes ears and fingers on old buildings

A new branch of the Swedish Museum of Modern Art in Malmö.
Public opening on December 26th 2009.

Moderna Museet Malmö is the first branch of the main museum in Stockholm. The former Electricity Station dating from 1900 and once the Rooseum gallery, has been refurbished to meet international museum standards. Seen from the exterior a new extension marks the arrival of the new museum. The extension provides a new entrance and reception space, as well as a cafeteria and a new upper gallery. Its perforated orange façade both connects to the existing brick architecture and introduces a contemporary element to the neighbourhood.

The perforated surface gives the façade a visual depth, and is animated through the dynamic shadow patterns which it creates. The ground floor is fully glazed so that sunlight is screened through the perforated façade.

Inside, the building has been spatially reconstructed. Two new staircases allow the visitor to move in a loop between the grand turbine hall and the upper exhibition rooms. The staircases are each enclosed between two walls, which functions to divide the program of the turbine hall into three separate spaces, housing in addition to exhibition spaces a children’s studio and a separate loading area that is also used for exhibitions.

The Sjakket Youth Club, located in Copenhagen, was designed by PLOT Architects. For the project the architects took a run down factory and converted it into a Center for immigrant youth.

Location: Islands Brygge, just south of Copenhagen centre
Directions: Walk or take bus 40 from the city centre - main railway station / Tivoli
Completion: late 2005 / early 2006
Photos of the building 7 April 2006 © adrian welch

Pair of former seed silos on Copenhagen waterfront converted into 86 contemporary residential apartments

100 Abandoned Houses is a project by Kevin Bauman that he innocently started as a creative outlet. Over 10 years Kevin as documented 100 abandoned houses in Detroit that’s depressing and amazing at the same time.

As the number of images grew, and a documentary style emerged, Kevin switched from mostly black and white, to color, and decided to name the series 100 Abandoned Houses. 100 seemed like a lot, although the number of abandoned houses in Detroit is more like 12,000. 

It seems like such a waste but also like a gold mine for architecture students. Abandoned means with existing architecture there’s room for experimenting and honing one’s skill. I know if I was in architecture school, I’d gather some friends and see how we can remodel creatively on a small budget.