Paul Klee Center

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Project Name: Paul Klee Center
Construction year: 2005
Website: www.paulkleezentrum.ch
Address: Fruchtland 3 , BERN - Switzerland

Architect(s) : Renzo Piano Building Workshop (RPBW) (www.rpbw.com)
Project Category: Cultural

Latitude: 46.9493
Longitude: 7.47431

Paul Klee Center

According to Piano’s interpretation, Paul Klee is an artist characterized by the silence in this work. Taking inspiration from the silence of water and responding to the gently sloping site, the result is this bold wave-form structure. One cannot be mistaken for the building’s profile - the bent steel subtly driving in and out of the ground, not intrusive but forming part of the landscape, establishing a clear relationship with the Alps in the background.

The “waves” enclose 3 large volumes - the main hall, one of the exhibition halls and a library space; on the underground level is the other exhibition hall, the art education studios, the offices as well as an auditorium – totalling a floor area of 15,000 sq m.Circulation is organized along the main façade; as a result one experiences the vibrancy of the building as the height and width of the space constantly changes as one travels. The façade is heavily glazed allowing ample light to flood the halls, while the blinds on the external façade control the light when necessary. At night, the building glows in this site next to the motorway proclaiming its presence. The back of the building however, is cut off from sunlight due to the light sensitive nature of the artwork. Skylights have been installed where possible, and other parts some green roofing is used.The building is arguably less “silent” that it is anticipated to be. Nonetheless there is a sensitive balance between the two objectives the building is to achieve – one being the statement a city icon has to make; the other being the quietness the architecture has to represent. No doubt the building integrates into the landscape beautifully; the elegant wave form and how it relates the interior to the exterior make this a delightful piece of architecture.

Contributed by ArchiTeam