The transmutation of the Flemish Opera of Antwerp into the new Diamond Museum.
George Georgopoulos Master Student of Architecture at TU Delft Design Studio: Anatomy of a Landmark 2014 Supervisors’ name: Aldo trim, Steven Steenbruggen
The transmutation of the Flemish Opera of Antwerp into the new Diamond Museum. The following images are something more than randomly selected. The upcoming pages will gradually reveal the contribution of the story behind these images to the consolidation of the new program of the Flemish Opera of Antwerp.
Leopold II, King of the Belgians and de facto owner of the Congo Free State from 1885 to 1908.
Flemish Opera of Antwerp, 1907
Rwandan workers at the Kisanga-mine, Katanga, Congo.
Diamonds
1.The preservation of the built infrastructure a) The Architectural ‘‘Mosaic’’ Here Antwerp’s tallest and newest office buildings form a stimulating contrast with some of its oldest, creating a crossroads of economic and cultural exchange. 100
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b) The Architectural Expression The Flemish Opera is the main achievement of the city’s architect, Alexis Van Mechelen. It is a neo-Baroque opera house that was built in 1904-1907 as the Flemish version of the Bourla Theater.Its great juxtaposition lies on the fact that although the building is conceived as an exponent of the Flemish culture, the neo-Baroque front façade with Beaux-Arts elements was deemed too French. The highlight is the ceiling painting, created by the Antwerp artist Karel Mertens. Mertens spent almost five years of his life on this masterwork. The painting is called ‘De Rythmus’ and shows the male figure Rythmus - the source of all musical creations - accompanied by the nine muses.
front façade
‘De Rythmus’ ceiling painting, Karel Mertens
2.The Superfluity of The Two Operas a) Francophone Dominance The Flemish Opera was built in 1907 as a symbol of disagreement with the Francophone dominance. In the Flemish House, Dutch versions of mostly German and Flemish works were given while, in the French house the emphasis lays on French versions of Italian and French Works. Nowadays, both the operas perform in French.
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b) Financial Overcharge The superfluity of the two operas is enhanced by the fact that their survival is inextricably related to subsidies. The Ghent and Antwep Opera combined receive 24 million euro in subsidies from the Flemish government, the provinces of East Flanders and Antwerp and the cities of Ghent and Antwerp. The Total budget is 35 illion euro.The Ghent and Antwep Opera combined generate 11 million euro through ticket sales, renting out the theatre, renting out productions. Additionally, should be referred that cities with the double population of Antwerp might not have an Opera House, let alone two of them.
2014
514 432 14 780 euro/month average income
3.The Superfluous Opera and The New Function a) Relation with other Relevant Activities in a city-scale level Comparing the Flemish with the French Opera in regard to their proximity to the cultural activities of the city, we distinguish that on the one hand the French Opera is located in the heart of the cultural life, while on the other hand the Flemish Opera is located in the renowned Diamond District of Antwerp. Therefor it is more sensible to inquire a new function for the Flemish Opera.
Galleries
Museums
Theaters
Jewellers
b)What is missing from the Diamond District? October 8, 1893 - Diamantclub van Antwerpen was established to promote and facilitate trade and industry in diamonds and other precious stones. The building that was constructed consisted of a trading hall and eight offices. It was the cornerstone of what was to become the Antwerp diamond district.
The Hoge Raad voor Diamand was established in 1946 at the initiative of the Belgian government and the industry itself, to protect and promote the diamond sector in Belgium.
In 1904, a group of Antwerp brokers and smaller traders who could not meet the Diamantclub’s strict admission requirements incorporated to create the city’s second diamond exchange: the Beurs voor Diamanthandel
Antwerp Diamond District has its finger on the pulse of business, right in the heart of the city.
The Diamond Museum has closed its doors at the Astridplein in Antwerp since April 30, 2012. Although the recently erected MAS hosts most of the Antwerp’s cultural possessions, the city’s reputation as the World’s Diamond Capital and the long experience in diamond’s trade and industry indicate the necessity of an entirely Diamond Museum.
c) Congo’s Colonization In a peculiar way the story of Congo’s colonization consists the missing link among the Opera House and the long Antwerp’s diamond tradition. Leopold II had been keen to acquire a colony for Belgium even before he ascended to the throne in 1865. He believed that the acquisition of a colony would bestow international prestige on his relatively young and small home country and that it might provide a steady source of income. Indeed, the period from 1885 to 1908 was a flourishing time for Belgians mainly due to the exploitation of the mineral resources of the Congolian territory. The wealth agglomeration during this time coincides with a surge of iconic buildings that were erected all over the Belgium. In Antwerp, building such as the Flemish Opera and the Central Train Station demonstrate the welfare of their time.
Unfortunately the colonization of Congo was not painless. Genocide scholar Adam Jones comments, “The result was one of the most brutal and all-encompassing corvée institutions the world has known . . . Male rubber tappers and porters were mercilessly exploited and driven to death.”
4.Conclusions The architectural significance of The Flemish Opera House and its contribution to the cultural ‘‘mosaic,’’ the superfluity of the two operas, the lack of a diamond museum and the underling relationship between the opera, the diamond surrender of Antwerp, and the exploitation of Congo led me to the decision of transmuting the opera building into a diamond museum that at the same time narrates both sides of the coin. The architectural and the expositions’ composition will be treated in a way to demonstrate on the one hand the glory and history of diamonds while on the other hand the harsh conditions under which they were produced. In favor of the sustainability of the new museum, part of the building will be capable of hosting temporary exhibitions
5. Architectural Translation Based on Contradictions a) Inerior/Exterior In respect to the building’s importance for the urban context, the intervention will be constrained to the interior of the Opera. Such a choice will serve to enhance the contradictive subject of the story, implying the disguised image of the reality of the diamond industry and the contrast between the glory of the diamonds’ aesthetics and the cruelty behind the production methods.
b) Opera/Mine The implication of the mining procedures is favored by the volumetric characteristics of the opera in an almost literal way. The long narrow corridors, the tower above the scene area which facilitates the elevation of the play’s settings, the amphitheatrical configuration of the auditorium and the inclined balconies are some of these characteristics.
mine’s pit
Amphetheater’s balcony
mineral’s lifting
setting’s lifting
c) Temporary/Permanent Exhibition The sustainability of a museum is enhances by the flexibility of its program. The tower of the scene is an empty box which is used for the settings’ shifting during the performance. The settings are lifted with the help of the metal spaceframe that is places on the top of the box. This space is the ideal one to host the temporary part of the exhibition.
• Amphitheatricality • Inclined Balconies • Ornamentation
• Flexibility • Verticality • Elevation
The auditorium of the theater is characterized by its amphitheatrical configuration, the inclined balconies and the sophisticated ornamentation. The alternation from the hollow space to the adjacent corridors facilitates the creation of contrasting spatial impressions. The elongated curved wall provide the possibility of a smooth route that will contribute to the narrative of the museums program.
d) Materials
The interior of the opera is beautifully, albeit not over-abundantly decorated. The front side of the balconies is decorated with nature motives. The highlight is the ceiling painting, created by the Antwerp artist Karel Mertens. Mertens spent almost five years of his life on this masterwork. The ceiling work will be kept intouchable while the balconies will be removed carefully and will be reattached to the new composition. In general, rough materials such as metal beams and concrete will be used for the intervention. The preservation of the opera’s sophisticated ornamentation in combination with the rough materials will contribute to the contradictive character of the interior.
Auditorium Decoration
Metal structure attached to an excavated natural stone
6. Architectural Design a) The Diamond Museum Taking advantage of the opera’s volumetric particularities, the exhibition route of the new museum attemps to create contrasting spatial impressions. The exhibition starts from the ground floor where used to be hosted supportive functions for the opera. This floor’s labyrinthine configuration is characterized by narrow elongated corridors and small adjustent rooms. Then a lift takes visitors from the room under the auditorium to the fifth floor’s level, right under the ceiling of the auditorium. Finally visitors shelve to the ground floor through rounded cantilevers that allow them to wander inside and outside of the auditorium’s space.
Typical Mine Circulation- Vertical Diagram
Museum Circulation- Axonometric Diagram
Museum Circulation- Vertical Diagram
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Floor Plan 0 Scale 1:500
Ground Floor-Axonometric Plan
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1. Shop 2. Ticket Office 3. Mine Exhibition 4. Temporary Exhibition 5. Elevator 6. Storage 7. Storage 8. Storage
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Floor plan 2 Scale 1:500
Ground Floor + Amphitheater’s Intervention-Axonometric Plan
1. Library 2. Diamond Exposition 2.a Exposition Room A 2.b Exposition Room B 2.c Exposition Room C 3. Temporary Exposition Room 4. Toilets
b) Details A basic aim of the design is to integrate parts of the balconies’ old decorated faces to the new metal cantilever structure.
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1. Metal Beams 2. Water Pipe System 3. Lighting System 4. Railings 5. Exhibit 6. Old Balcony Face
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Metal Cantilever Fragment Axonometric Plan
A modular structure of stacked concrete cylinders is placed literaly in the center of the visiors’ attention in order to host the most remarkable exhibits. The industral lift brings visitors to the top floor of the auditorium space
Concrete Cylinders- Axonometric Plan
Industrial Lift- Axonometric Plan
c) Architectural Impression
Perspective View
Perspective View
Axonometric View
d) Temporary Exhibition The scene’s tower is crowned with a metal spaceframe which facilitate the lifting of the settings. The design is focused on modular floor slabs that can be lifted by the roof ’s spaceframe structure, shifting the space configuration according to the exhibition’s needs.
Construction
Tower’s Spaceframe
Scene’s Tower
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5. Floor Plan 5 Scale 1:500
Retracted Modular ConfigurationAxonometric Plan
1. Foyer 2. Diamond Exhibition 3. Ceiling Observatorium 4. Temporary Exhibition 5. Staircase
Modular Slab
Railing System Detail
Indicative Deployed ConfigurationAxonometric Plan
e) Architectural Impression
Axonometric View
Perspective View
f) Drawings
Floor Plan 4 Scale 1:200
Elevation Plan Scale 1:200
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Axonometric View