bureau SLA adds dome to fort asperen museum in the netherlands

bureau SLA adds dome to fort asperen museum in the netherlands
(above) the addition of the dome to the museum gives it a new artwork
all images courtesy of bureau SLA

amsterdam-based architecture studio bureau SLA teamed up with the crystal workers of leerdam to shape a glass dome for ‘fort asperen‘, a museum in the netherlands dedicated to contemporary art. the construction aims to prevent the rain from entering the fort, without being completely closed so that the bats can enter and seek shelter during the winter. the supporting structure is made of 288 wooden pieces, with 300 holes, for 300 bolts, plus 5160 steel components, and 10 steel rings. then the 550 unique glass tiles formed for 3260 hours in the oven were added.

the dome is suspended from a wooden structure

children and adults were allowed to make individual designs on glass sheets, which were then placed on the dome. a black-painted wood construction on the outside of the cupola ensures that the glass slates can be easily assembled and the view from bellow unbothered by the construction. the effort resulted in an impressive ‘only glass’ view from the bellow.

the suspension allows space between the dome and the tower to give access and shelter to the bats during winter

process video of how the dome was constructed with help from the community
video courtesy of bureauSLA

from the inside, the dome looks like it’s floating on top of the tower

children and adults were allowed to make individual designs on glass sheets

a black-painted wood construction on the outside of the cupola ensures that the glass slates can be easily assembled

inside the dome

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: juliana neira | designboom