The National Gallery of Greenland
The views from the site for the new national gallery of Greenland are breathtaking and powerful, while the surrounding man-made milieu is severe and stark. Located at the edge of the city and in front of the open ocean, the building becomes a mediator between the two contrasting realms.
The proposed building is a freestanding, independent landmark in a context where both natural and artificial environments are dominant in scale and presence. Free from apparent formal references, its introverted and stoic character conceals a monumental interior. Here, art and culture of Greenland can be viewed against the evocative backdrop of the unique local landscape. Inhabitants of the building are invited to enjoy the surrounding seascape and coast, which is brought in through carefully framed views.
The building's program is arranged into eight levels. A tall sky-lit canyon allows for the influence of seasonal changes and daylight conditions on the interior atmosphere. Exhibition spaces, public areas, curation, conservation and storage of the works of art co-exist in and around the vertical central space.
A variety of different exhibition environments is offered, from a sky-lit white box to the dark, dramatic interior of the central void. All levels can be included in the exhibition circulation, or closed for maintenance.
The building is entered on the fourth level through an outdoor exhibition area. Another public level for events, performances and exhibition openings is located at the bottom of the building's central space where a large panoramic opening reveals the ocean horizon in an extraordinary new perspective.
In preparation for the museum's future growth, an extension is proposed beneath the entrance courtyard. It is to be integrated into the existing circulation and services.
Heikkinen-komonen Architects: www.heikkinen-komonen.fi
