Wingårdh Arkitektkontor, AB

Muritzeum

Muritzeum
© Wingardh

MURITZEUM

Wingårdh Arkitektkontor

AREA
3137.0 m2

PHOTOGRAPHS
Wingardh

PROJECT YEAR
2007

LOCATION
Waren (Müritz), Germany

CATEGORY
Visitor Center

Text description provided by architect.

Visitor centre for the region "Mecklenburgische Seenplatte". A unique central point in Waren in between Müritz, the older town centre and the surrounding countryside.

Muritzeum
© Wingardh
Muritzeum
© Wingardh

Müritzeum includes a freshwater aquarium, multimedia exhibits, restaurant and a shop.

The building extends out like a peninsular in Herrensee and personifies elements essentially different from one another as solid ground and water.

The round design means the building has no problems blending in among the less conspicuous surroundings despite its large scale. The walls seem to keep a low profile and the building is perceived as being smaller than it actually is.

Muritzeum
© Wingardh
Muritzeum
© Wingardh

The sense of undefined direction is articulated through a series of straight sections that reduce the area of the circle.

One section runs parallel with Kietzstraße and offers a large, distinct entrance facade - which is not too imposing, but rather adapted to suit Waren's scale.

Another section breaks the midpoint of the circle, focuses light on certain working spaces, provides a direct park connection to the centre of the building and perhaps most importantly of all, a flat staircase to the roof of the building. A corresponding external staircase on the west side of the building gives the circle a direction and shows where the front of the building is.

Muritzeum
© Wingardh
Muritzeum
Detail

The exterior, highly visible staircases clearly demonstrate how the structure is accessible and that it represents a part of the walk around the Herrensee lake.

From the north, the building is seen in a remote perspective, where the circle with its inclined sides, a little like a ship's hull, rides on Herrensee's reflection in the water.

Muritzeum
Detail
Muritzeum
Plan

The building is designed as two coned segments at two different heights and with two different radii. The cone segments together create a circle.

The circle is broken, as mentioned, by a pair of sharp sections. The building consists primarily of two floors and a semi-basement. The cone segments and floor structure that are not in contact with the ground are made of wood.

Muritzeum
Plan
Muritzeum
Plan

The supporting walls are 120 mm Leno walls. The external surfaces are of 30 mm carbonized timber with a blackish brown finish that hardly needs any maintenance. This surface treatment gives the building an aura of being an historic landmark while at the same time being environmentally friendly.

In contrast, the wood on the inside of the foyer and pent-roof is a glazed honey colour. These two different expressions in the same material are joined together by a clear glass facade.

Muritzeum
Site Plan


Muritzeum
Section
Muritzeum
Section

Wingårdh Arkitektkontor, AB
T +46 10­ 7881000 M +46 70 8101370
Wingårdh Arkitektkontor, AB
Kungsgatan 10A, 411 19 Göteborg, Sweden