penda's bauhaus museum proposal features a rotating ground floor

penda’s bauhaus museum proposal features a rotating ground floor
all images courtesy of penda

architecture studio penda has shared images of their competition entry for the new bauhaus museum in dessau, germany. set within a city park, the flexible scheme is configured to react to various needs, while serving as a connecting hub within the community.

an aerial rendering of the slender building

the slender building is characterized by two rotating platforms, which allow the structure to open up in an inviting manner. at night, and when the area is not heavily frequented, the museum naturally minimizes the dark and deserted areas of the park by closing up. while the height of the museum responds to the surrounding city blocks, at ground level the scheme seeks to be a dynamic and welcoming sculptural presence.

the structure’s height responds to the surrounding city blocks

‘our aim was to create a museum that connects and interacts with those multiple settings of daily life in dessau in a very direct and responsive way,’ explain the architects. ‘our design for the new bauhaus museum is a fusion of clear geometry and technological elements, that offer a great amount of flexibility and integration to dessau’s city center.’

the design is characterized by two rotating platforms at ground level

the museum responds to the region’s seasonal conditions, allowing different configurations depending on the time of year. during summer months, when the area is an active and populated destination, the structure becomes a significant and prominent element within the park. however, when the area is not so busy the museum must still serve as a visible icon in order to attract visitors to its various exhibitions and events.

open plan gallery space illuminated from above

all public areas — comprising the lobbies, event spaces, museum store and the café — are situated on the lower levels of the museum in two cuboid volumes. each entity sits on a circular platform rotating around a stable core in its axis, where staircases, elevators and the building’s hardware are located. these two flexible entities are able to rotate around the cores to interact with public life in the park, and adapt to the needs and the demands of its environment.

white walls and pale timber finishes are used throughout

during winter months, the museum must still serve as a visible icon

when the area is an active, the structure becomes a the centerpiece of the park

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project info:

name: the new bauhaus museum
type: cultural / museum
location: dessau germany
year: competition finalist (out of 830 participating offices)
size: 4,500 sqm
team: chris precht, dayong sun, xue bai,veit burgbacher, quan he, pengchong li, frank li, jeong hoon kim, yurii suhov