Christian Kerez unveils the winning design for the renovation of the Palazzo Rosso in St. Gallen. Switzerland
Christian Kerez unveils the winning design for the renovation of the Palazzo Rosso in St. Gallen. Switzerland
Christian Keres was announced as the winner of the competition for the renovation of the Palazzo Rosso in St. Gallen, home of Textile museum St. Gallen, to the east Switzerland. The project entitled “The heavy is the root of the light” corresponds to the goal of sharpening the profile of the Palazzo Rosso and increasing its visibility and attractiveness. The proposal is currently being further developed on behalf of Textile museum Foundation for the clarification of feasibility and financing issues.
The History of Textile museum lasts until the middle of the 19th centuryth Century, when developers from different countries came here to invest in the most advanced textile machines available at the time that could mechanically reproduce intricate historical textiles such as lace. The building of the textile museum was built in 1886 when it earned the still popular nickname “Palazzo Roso” for its brick facades and elegant appearance. The space was originally used to train staff and collect historical textiles for reference. Today it is one of St Gallen’s landmarks with a collection that has been amassed over the past 135 years.
The structural infrastructure has remained largely the same during this time, which made an intervention to improve security and visitor-friendliness necessary. The proposed solution opens the ground floor to the public and emphasizes the museumImportance for the city and its residents. The project also includes the addition of a large exhibition space, the creation of a new archive space for the professional storage of art objects and the opening of the building on the lowest floor. The redesign also includes the extension of a museum café to strengthen the connection to public space.
According to the tender, the project was selected for its respect for the qualities of the existing building and its ability to complement them in a meaningful way. The jury also recognized that the solution sparked debate and discussion due to its bolder gestures compared to other submissions. The main achievement of the design is below the building foundation, where an entirely new space is configured. The sheer size of this room opens up new possibilities for special exhibitions and thus ensures a wide range of development opportunities for the museum.
Swiss architect Christian Keres started out as an architectural photographer before starting his career in architecture. One of his best-known projects is the Innovative Leutschenbach School in Zurich, Switzerland and the Office building Lyon confluence Îlot A3 in France. He also designed the Swiss Pavilion at the Venice Architecture Biennale 2016 as an amorphous structure aimed at exploring the meaning of abstract and complex architectural spaces.