Enlargement historical museum
Enlargement historical museum

Futuristic expansion of the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam. The white volume resembles the shape of a bathtub

The original design of the museum dates back to 1895 by A.W.Weissman and was restructured and expanded by Benthem Crouwel Architects, who designed a large white modern and spacious volume, also well-known because of its shape as a "bathtub"

The Stedelijk Museum, the historic building and its modern expansion, house one of the most prestigious collections of modern and contemporary art in Europe. Since its inception, the building has always been celebrated for its majesty and natural lighting

New white volume of a museum

In the new design, the original features have been preserved, along with the white color introduced throughout the museum by former director Willem Sandberg in 1938. The original building is largely left intact and visible

New white volume of a museum

The entrance is moved to the Museumplein side and contributes to the new public quality of the square. The expansion sits above the entrance, and appears to be white, shiny and smooth with a shape that resembles a bathtub. A large canopy opens onto the square, creating a covered area that is part of both the building and the square

New white volume of a museum

The historic building appears in the background and the white volume in the foreground which is the prominent new image of the Stedelijk Museum. The contrast in the interior between old and new is barely noticeable to museum visitors, unlike the exterior

New white volume of a museum

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