Galerie Gmurzynska

Since its foundation in 1965, the Galerie Gmurzynska has mainly presented works of art of the eastern European and Russian avant-garde.
The new building of 1991, in the bourgeois district of Marienburg with its tree-lined and quiet residential streets, was to match its surroundings while simultaneously stand out.
The cubes “with planed wooden lathing painted in red” at first seem to harmonise with the residential buildings there. The reduction of shapes, materials and details and the dominating red colour – reminding one of the Russian avant-garde presented here – lend the building a strong presence within the mostly eclectic neighbourhood.
Only a few continuous windows and light slits interrupt the monochrome wooden facades, which means that passers-by can’t see the interior. Only a lavish portal opens up the building and marks the access to the “jewellery box”.
The discreet structure of the exterior is continued inside. Here, the spatial organisation of the gallery is more obvious: One of the two two-storey buildings contains lavish exhibition spaces, the other a library, two offices and three small cabinets. The axial, severe arrangement of the rooms is dissolved by the varying dimensions and openings.
The outside is rather invisible to the visitors inside because the windows and openings are mostly very narrow or near the ceiling. Depending upon the time of day and the season, the light-created mood and the illumination of the exhibits changes.

Author: Ulrich Grützner (koelnarchitektur) / Editorial baukunst-nrw
Last changed on 25.02.2021

Categories:
Architecture » Public Buildings » Cultural (cinemas, theatres, museums)