odunpazari modern museum by kengo kuma and associates opens in turkey

a major museum designed by kengo kuma and associates has opened to the public in turkey. the ‘odunpazari modern museum’, or OMM, was conceived by kuma and his team as an architectural landmark for eskişehir, a university city in north west turkey. the building, which appears as a series of stacked wooden volumes, responds to its surrounding streetscape and the neighborhood’s history as a timber trading market. the 4,500 square meter institution contains a 1,000-piece collection of modern and contemporary art.

image © NAARO (also main image)

‘the idea for OMM was to use architecture to create a link between people and art,’ explains kengo kuma,​ principle of kengo kuma and associates, and ​yuki ikeguchi​, the partner leading the project. ‘we were deeply inspired by the history, culture, people and streetscape of odunpazarı, and we wanted the building to resonate on many levels. we hope that the museum will breathe new life into eskişehir and become a central and inviting meeting point for the city.’

image © NAARO

the museum is split over three floors, starting with larger exhibition spaces at the ground level that echo the rhythm and scale of the surrounding townscape, and continuing with smaller rooms on the upper level designed for smaller-scale artworks. a sky-lit atrium at the center visually connects the different floors internally while allowing plenty of natural light to enter the building. highlights currently on view include the largest installation to date by bamboo artist tanabe chikuunsai IV, and two pieces of digital art by marshmallow laser feast.

image © NAARO

‘​today’s opening marks the culmination of a visionary process for everyone involved,’ adds erol tabanca​, the businessman and art collector who founded OMM. ‘we are delighted to reveal this unique building, the collection and our exciting inaugural presentations to the community here in my hometown of eskişehir and to visitors from around the world.’ see designboom’s previous coverage of the project here.

image © kayhan kaygusuz

image © NAARO

image © NAARO

image © NAARO

tanabe chikuunsai IV’s bamboo installation | image by kemal seçkin

‘sleeping girl’ by hans op de beeck | image © kayhan kaygusuz

‘in the eyes of the animal’ by marshmallow laser feast

image © batuhan keskiner

image © batuhan keskiner

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project info:

title: OMM (odunpazari modern art museum)
client: polimeks holdings, inc.
design architect: kengo kuma and associates (KKAA)
team: yuki ikeguchi; partner in charge, yasemin sahiner; project architect, man wai yiu, anteo taro sanada
structural engineer: SIGMA
façade engineer: ateknik structural design
mechanical engineer: TEMA engineering and consulting trade ltd.
general contractor: polimeks holdings, inc.
location: odunpazari eskisehir, turkey
principle use: art museum
structural system: steel, reinforced concrete
major materials: laminated timber pine, limestone, oak flooring, plaster
site area: 16,360 sqm
total floor area: 3,582 sqm