FOMU - Museum of Photography Antwerp
The Antwerp Photo Museum's ground floor harmonizes industrial charm with modern architecture, blending the warehouse's utilitarian appeal with Georges Baines' 1986 extension. Notably, it features dual entrances, albeit seemingly mismatched in purpose. The museum entrance, modest yet expansive, overlooks South Park, while the cinema entrance, more grandiose, hides in a side street. Addressing potential visitor confusion, interventions were made, including distinct floor coloring—subtle yellow for the museum and vibrant green for the cinema—and a "soft boundary" curtain, adaptable for events. The ticket counter's redesign enhances accessibility and prominence. Additional features include a flexible layout for the museum shop, a lecture stage, shared facilities, and a strategically positioned cinema ticket booth. Contemporary elements unify the space, creating a cohesive environment.
The ground floor of the Antwerp Photo Museum combines the industrial, utilitarian charm of the former warehouse with the modern architectural elements introduced by Georges Baines in his 1986 extension. What makes this architecture unique is that it has two entrances, although they seem to be designated to the wrong program.
The museum entrance is located in the warehouse. This entrance is modest, yet benefits from the expansiveness of the new South Park. Around the corner, the cinema entrance is situated, more grandiose in its design but concealed in a side street. The intersection of these distinct typologies forms the nexus of vertical circulation within the museum.
Upon analyzing the scenography, it soon became apparent that an intervention at this junction was imperative. To avert potential disorientation among visitors, it was crucial to clearly delineate the two main programs from one another.
The first intervention entailed a distinctive recoloring of the flooring. The museum's floor was given a subtle light yellow finish, whereas the cinema's floor was painted a vibrant green.
Furthermore, a spatial intervention was deemed necessary. In response to the program's demand for versatility, a “soft boundary” was implemented using a curtain. This curtain is adept at demarcating the spaces when needed, yet it maintains the flexibility to unify them for events attracting larger crowds. This approach creates an 'internal street,' around which secondary functionalities are strategically positioned. The curtain's design was done in collaboration with Flore Fockedey.
A comparable challenge presented itself at the ticket counter. Due to its perpendicular alignment with the main flow of movement, it struggled to efficiently serve as the initial welcoming feature and key point of interaction. Due to its stepped or tiered shape, its prominence and accessibility are significantly improved.
In addition to the core functions, the ground floor houses various auxiliary functions. The museum shop has an open layout,yet it can be securely closed off with metal rolling shutters. There's a compact stage available for lectures and minor events. This space is equally apt for small exhibitions or for briefings to groups of visitors before they embark on guided tours. The lockers and restroom facilities are shared with the cinema.
At the cinema side, the ticket booth extends into the walkway, strategically situated directly between the entrances to the two theaters. This positioning ensures it immediately captures the attention of cinema-goers as they enter.
Simultaneously, a vertical, obelisk-like structure was introduced as a focal point at the entrance. Its verticality acts as an anchor for the adjacent bar, which would otherwise be lost in the vast height of the entrance.
In developing the various components, contemporary shapes and materials were sought. These resonate with their surroundings and, despite their diversity, compile a cohesive whole.
