Building: Mercedes-Benz Museum (2006) UN Studio Reference text: On Ducks and Decoration (1968) Robert Venturi & Denise Scott Brown Student: Tran Hoang Long Unit: AA SSP
Abstract: In this essay, I would like to explore the Mercedes-Benz Museum designed by UN Studio referencing the essay ‘On Ducks and Decoration’ by Robert Venturi and Denise Scott Brown. In the text, Venturi and Brown mentioned the distinct difference between the ‘duck’ and the ‘decorated shed’ - ‘the building as a symbol in itself through its formal or spatial features as opposed to the building as a structure to which symbolism was applied.’ In Venturi’s terms, the museum clearly falls into category of ‘duck’ as it symbolizes the design philosophy of Mercedes-Benz with regards to the spatial and structural features dedicated to its functions as a museum. Therefore, is this ‘duck’ really not being ‘honest’ to the question of decoration; a piece of decoration as a whole? What does the notion of ‘duck’ and ‘shed’ mean at the beginning of the 21st century? These are the issues that I would like to explore in this essay.
Mercedes-Benz Museum Location: Stuttgart, Germany Architect: UN Studio, Amsterdam Museum design: Prof. H.G.Merz Client: Daimler Chrysler AG Construction started: 17/09/2003 Building opened 19/05/2006 Height of building: 47.5 m Number of levels: 9 Floor space 4800 m2 Exhibition space: 16.500 m2 _Collection space: 5.300 m2 _Legend space: 9.100 m2 _Fascination of Technology: 1.300 m2 _Club area: 700 m2 Number of vehicles: 160 _Number of cars: 80 _Commercial vehicles 40 _Racing cars: 40
On Duck and Decorations
Based on my interpretation of ‘On Duck and Decorations’, a ’duck’ building is designed solely for the specific programs and functions from interior to exterior. A ‘duck’ possesses ‘formal or spatial features’ becoming a symbol in itself. On the other hand, the ‘decorated shed’ building is a ‘conventional building’ that can be clad on the outside with decorations or signs which reflect the inner programs and functions. The decorated facade can be changed easily to adapt to what happens inside the building. While the ‘duck’ is designed in the manner of ‘deeply distorting things for the sake of appearance’ by utilising the architectural language applied onto the building’s form, this method seems to be too abstract in concept for the general population to comprehend. The building becomes pure decoration as a whole and less ‘honest’ to the question of decoration as well as expensive. The ‘decorated shed’ makes a building easier to read and understand for the general public as it is the language of graphics and signage applied on the exterior. People would recognize the inner activities easily through visual communication without the need of understanding architectural language and complex form. ‘We'd rather see the need admitted and the decoration applied where needed, not in the way the Victorians did it but suit our time, as easily as the billboard is pasted on its superstructure; with the building it is applied to allow it to go its own conventional way, no more distorted than are the functional wind bracing and catwalks of the superstructure.’ 1, said Venturi.
example, the Pompidou Centre in Paris is a ‘duck’ building since it represents itself by advertising the various activities and programs contained within. The Centre’s skeletal structure and amenities have been located on the exterior of the building. This bold design approach immediately established the building as both a landmark and symbol on the cityscape. Another example is Maison Hermes in Ginza, Tokyo by Renzo Piano. The building’s open plan and structural organization represents the ‘shed’. The flexible structure is not only able to accommodate Hermes but a variety of other boutiques and brands as well. Because of the use of 400 x 400 mm glass blocks to clad the facade, Piano’s building appears ‘duck’ like in nature. The facade’s translucent appearance not only distinguishes the exterior from interior, but also gives one a faint indication of what occurs on the inside. The building’s elaborate appearance transforms it from a ‘shed’ into a ‘duck’. Today, the differentiation between ‘duck’ and ‘shed’ in built form is blurred and no longer as easily distinguishable as in past architecture.
In the essay ‘Design Models’, Ben van Berkel expressed his thoughts on parametric design in architectural training and practice. He said: ‘It makes no difference if the subject of the parametric design study is the museum, a school, a railway station or a private resident, nor if the project is supposed to be situated on a beach, in a city, or in a post-industrial periphery.’ 2. According to Ben van Berkel, there exists a distinct disconnection between the parametric design process being taught in school and the complexity of construction process in architectural practice. As a result, parametric design has become the superficial skin encasing the various activities inside. However, not all ‘duck’ are ‘duck’ nor ‘shed’ are ‘shed’. For 1. R Venturi, On Duck and Decorations, Programmes and manifestoes on twentieth century architecture, Lund Humphries, 1970, p. 448 2. B van Berkel, UN Studio - Design Models - Architecture - Urbanism - Infrastructure - Ben van Berkel and Caroline Bos, Thames & Hudson, London, 2006, p. 14
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01/ R.Venturi̢۪s duck and shed diagram 02/ Pompidou Centre, Richard Rogers and Renzo Piano 03/ Maison Hermes, Renzo Piano
Architecture Of The Museum
The Birth Of The Museum In early 1999, Daimler Chrysler commissioned HG Merz, an exhibition design architect to develop a concept for a new Mercedes-Benz Museum. The exhibition concept would be the basis for future architectural design. HG Merz provided a design script capturing the idea of showcasing 120 years of the automotive industry along with Mercedes-Benz history. With such a large and diverse collection of cars, Merz thought it would be too challenging and almost impossible to accommodate them in one museum space. The solution was to create two main collection spaces: a ‘Legend’ space and a ‘Collection’ space. The ‘Legend’ collection would be a fine extraction of vehicles that represent key examples and select imagery detailing the history of Mercedes-Benz. These choice vehicles would be displayed as if on theatrical stage sets. On the other hand, the ‘Collection’ aspect is an array of cars that have been in production since the company’s start and can be substituted and exchanged quickly. As the result, the design and concept of the exhibition spaces need to provide for constant change and therefore be flexible in nature. Based on this exhibition concept, Daimler Chrysler decided to hold an international, architectural competition with the appearance of HG Merz and ten other finalists. In January 2002, UN Studio was awarded first prize in the final jury. A New Museum Typology The original aspiration of the UN Studio was to ‘make the objects in the museum look as good as the merchandise in the greatest shops of the world’1. The artifacts are supposed to inspire, educate and be admired by the visitor. Initially, one of UN Studio’s main concerns was not to have the architecture overpower the items or vehicles; the challenge was to design a building reflecting Mercedes-Benz status without becoming more important than the company’s merchandise. The fear is that visitors could possibly take more interest in the architectural form rather than the items on display. The employment of the circular ramps that the architects refer to as ‘pedestals’, create an innovative way of viewing the exhibited objects. The ramps allow visitors to circulate and flow around the space, viewing the objects from different angles. One can approach the objects from high to low, from far to near, and from an overall perspective to a detailed viewpoint. In this manner, the museum’s visitors can possess a complete understanding of the objects as well as a total
relationship of exhibition space to individual object. The experience is one of detail as it pertains to the whole structure. Another interesting aspect of the Mercedes-Benz museum is its hybrid characteristics. It is primarily a museum in the traditional sense, displaying Mercedes-Benz historical artifacts; in addition, the building is an elaborate dealership or showroom. The contradiction of these two elements creates a fusion of functional relationships between a cultural institution and an industrial landmark. The structure embodies the bold, grandiose character of a museum while possessing the streamlined aesthetic of a Mercedes showroom. The interwoven ramps, that echo the building’s Trefoil form, connect the different exhibition spaces giving the visitor the perception of being on a racetrack surrounded by cars on display. Connections With The Past Century Museums The museum’s spatial organization owes much to three great museums of the past century: the National Gallery in Berlin by Mies van der Rohe, New York City’s Guggenheim Museum by Frank Lloyd Wright and the Pompidou Centre in Paris by Richard Rogers and Renzo Piano. The unobstructed large span exhibition space, that allows visitors to flow from one space to another, was inherited from the National Museum. The rotation of the circulation ramps around a central atrium and simplistic, sculptural forms mimic the framework of the Guggenheim Museum. In the MercedesBenz museum, however, the circulation system allows visitors to experience one or more of the two interwoven spiral ramps instead of only one spiral as seen in the Guggenheim. In addition, the circulation was exposed to the perimeter appearing on the facade like the Pompidou Centre. Attaching the circulation to the exterior not only brings interest and evokes curiosity but it can ‘enliven the surroundings and to make a compellingly inviting gesture to the public’.2 Geometry From an overall perspective, the museum consists of a variety of geometrical and sculptural elements. The building is a complex organization of arcs, symmetrical curves and oblique surfaces. The application of these elements has appeared in UN Studio’s work since the beginning. To different architects, oblique elements are interpreted in different manners and architectural expression. In UN Studio’s work, oblique and slanted elements are the expression of ‘mobility’
1,2. B van Berkel, Buy Me A Mercedes-Benz - The Book Of The Museum, Actar, Barcelona, 2006, p. 4,6
and movement; they suggest a sense of direction and purpose. When combing the slanted elements with the symmetrical curves found on the plans and elevations, the resulting forms produce the extreme dynamic forces that relate to the vehicular context of the museum. Additionally, these oblique elements are ‘ideal for the museum since (they) generates spaces (which) provide minimum distraction’.3 The principle geometry of the museum is organized around the rationale of the Trefoil. Consisting of three circles overlapping each other, the mathematical model is shaped like a clover-leaf. The three circles create a triangular-shaped void in the centre. In plan, the Trefoil is expressed as a continuous knot that has no beginning or ending. For the initial concept, UN Studio placed the museum’s programs on this continuous knot which allowed an uninterrupted flow from space to space. The Trefoil as a continuous ‘design model’, as Ben van Berkel described, has long been employed and reused in UN Studio’s work. The knot form first appeared in the Möbius House located in Het Gooi, Netherlands. The organizational layout of the house places the activities, circulation and structure around the loop - the Möbius strip. The strip’s layout allows the interwoven relationships between different domains to exist. The next project, after the Möbius house, which illustrates the notion of the knot, was the Arnhem Central in the Netherlands. Here the Möbius strip, as a surface, has transformed into the Klein bottle expressed as a 3D knot in Arnhem Central. As the ‘design model’, the Klein bottle was used to organize the movement of passengers through the exterior and interior spaces seamlessly. This ‘design model’ is a different variation of the same mathematical model - the Möbius strip. The other principle of the museum’s geometry is the double helix which contain the circulation and exhibition spaces. The main purpose of the double helix is to separate the ‘Legend’ and the ‘Collection’ spaces. However, while spiraling, the two trajectories cross each other continuously, mimicking interwoven DNA strands. The organization of the double helix allows visitors to move freely about, changing their path wherever and whenever desired. The double helix differentiates itself from a traditional, classical museum where a prescribed circulation route determines a visitor’s movement. On the other hand, a modern museum's circulation can be perceived as being too loose in form with visitors having an abundance and somewhat overwhelming choice of paths.
The combination of the Trefoil in plan and the double helix in section creates different horizontal ‘plateaus’ each housing exhibitions with dissimilar volumes. Capturing elements from both forms, the museum possesses spaces of different volumes, from single to double floor height. Structure and Materials The structural system of the museum consists of four major elements connected to one other: the core, circulation ramp, the ‘twist’ and the perimeter columns. The three main cores wrap around the atrium acting as vertical load bearing elements. The circulation ramps and ‘twist’ elements function as the horizontal load bearing structure. The core, ramp and ‘twist’ connect to the array of ‘tetrapod’ columns on the perimeter which also act as the facade’s support. Bridging between these four main elements are steel beams, supporting the floor plates. As the result, the space is uninterrupted without any intermediate columns at each exhibition level. The span between core and columns is over 30 metres which is comparable in size to a motorway viaduct. One of the most difficult structural elements to construct was the twist that spans between the main core and the perimeter columns. The twist is a doubly curved surface where in the ‘Legend’ space, the ceiling turns into wall while turning the corner. In the ‘Collection’ space, the doubly curved surface braces two floors creating a sloping floor plane. The ‘twist’ is a distinctive structural element itself but at the same time it is also sculptural and decorative. The museum’s complex geometry would be difficult to achieve without the extensive use of concrete. As a result, the architects utilized cast in situ concrete to fabricate the complex structural framework. Additionally, the smooth texture and banal grey tone of the fair-faced concrete created an ideal neutral background for the flashiness of a Mercedes Benz. In contrast with the muted interior, the exterior appears more like a shiny, intricate ‘machine’ with the employment of non-structural glass and aluminium cladding. On the outside, the two materials appear to weave and converge into each other evoking a dynamic, sensual relationship between the building and the automobile.
3. B van Berkel, Buy Me A Mercedes-Benz - The Book Of The Museum, Actar, Barcelona, 2006, p. 7
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01/02/03/04/ study models of spiral ramps around the Trefoil 05/ final geometry generated from parametric model 06/ double helix as circulation around the museum 07/ two main exhibition spaces
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01/ sequence showing structure system 02/ circular ramp of the Legend space 03/ perimeter columns that acting as vertical load bearing and facade support elements 04/ concrete shuttering of the ‘Twist’ 05/06/ the ‘Twist’
Architecture Of The Exhibition
In the Mercedes-Benz museum, the exhibition is organized in chronological order and divided into five main spaces: the ‘Legend’ space, the ‘Collection’ space, ‘Races and Records’, ‘Preshow’ and the ‘Fascination for Technology’. Visitors enter the building from the north-west entrance, crossing the atrium where the exhibition begins. With such a great architectural framework, the design of the exhibition space is a great enhancement which complements the architectural context. The exhibition design delivers a new and unique museum experience; one which the visitor won’t soon forget. Upon arrival, people ascend to the top level of the museum where the exhibition starts. During the short ride on the elevator, visitors view a Preshow presentation projected onto an adjacent concrete wall. The subject matter of Preshow highlights the key milestones and accomplishments of Mercedes-Benz over the span of their 120 year history. Similar to Wright’s Guggenheim Museum, once the upper level is reached the in-depth tour actually commences. One is offered the choice to either take the ‘Legend’ tour throughout or change routes to the ‘Collection’ tour in between. During the descent on the spiral ramps, angled walls and spaces unfold revealing the history of the company as told through interactive exhibits. Finally, one reaches the ‘Races and Records’ space where all of Mercedes race car and racing memorabilia are displayed signifying the end of the history tour. There are in total seven different Legend rooms that house the primary vehicles representative of the Mercedes-Benz legacy. The vehicles are organized in chronological order from top level to the bottom level with the oldest models displayed at the upper floor. Each Legend room is enclosed by solid, perimeter concrete walls shielding the collection from outside views. This design layout intends to evoke the curiousity of the public. Thus, the employment of the solid, exterior wall emphasizes the importance of what is enclosed inside and how Mercedes views its vehicles as being precious and worthy of protection. One has to enter the museum in order to experience all that Mercedes embodies including its Legend legacy. There are five ‘Collection’ spaces which are not organized in chronological order but rather based on the functions and themes structured according to usage. These spaces function almost like an elaborate showroom exposing the contents to the outside. The automobile collection is divided into five
separate categories by Mercedes: travel - ‘Gallery Of Voyagers’; goods transport - ‘Galley Of Carriers’; support and services - ‘Gallery Of Helpers’ and representation - ‘Gallery of Celebrities’ and ‘Gallery of Heroes’ After visiting all the exhibts including the two main collection spaces, the visitor reaches the lower level of ‘Races and Records’ which is where the double helix ends as well. At the lower level, the exhibit installation is reminiscent of a race track with the employment of a racing stand, a steep-bank curve, a racing terminal and a drivers’ showcase. The architect’s intent is to make the audience pause and reflect on the accomplishments and influence Mercedes has contributed to the automobile industry. While watching archival racing footage, the visitor drifts through time along with Mercedes-Benz’s Silver Arrows - a sampling of their racing line-up. The tour of the museum ends in the ‘Fascination of Technology’ section where some of the company’s secrets are revealed. Here, the use of materials such as white plastic, stainless steel and glass creates an atmosphere similar to a scientific laboratory. On this level, the process of making a car, from research, design, development and production is disclosed to the visitor.
Conclusion
From the architecture of the museum to the architecture of the exhibition, UN Studio’s Mercedes-Benz Museum is a fascinating and exquisite building. UN Studio and HG Merz have carefully crafted the whole environment from the architectural framework to the exhibition detail. The museum strongly emphasizes the importance of Mercedes in the automobile industry and also delivers a unique museum experience that the visitor will not soon forget. Coming back to the notion of ‘duck’ and ‘shed’, one could argue the building is ‘duck’ type, ‘distorting things for the sake of appearance’ or one could see the exhibition design as the decoration to the framework. From my own point of view, it’s not important if the museum and the exhibition is decoration because UN Studio’s museum delivers a memorable experience and represents the success of Mercedes-Benz. ‘The Mercedes-Benz Museum makes everyone forget that they are in a museum. None of the problems that make the traditional museum less and less sustainable occur. The works around you belong to no ther culture than your won. They are much closer to you and speak more clearly to you than most of today’s art.’ 1
1. B van Berkel, Buy Me A Mercedes-Benz - The Book Of The Museum, Actar, Barcelona, 2006, cover page.
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01/ sequence showing Preshow, Upper Level and ‘Legend’ spaces 02/ sequence showing ‘Collection’ spaces 03/ sequence showing ‘Races & Records’; ‘Silver Arrows’ and ‘Fasination of Technology’
Bibliography
1. UN Studio, Buy Me A Mercedes-Benz - The Book Of The Museum, Actar, Barcelona, 2006. 2. UN Studio, Design Models - Architecture - Urbanism - Infrastructure - Ben van Berkel and Caroline Bos, Thames & Hudson, London, 2006 3. Conrads U, Programmes and manifestoes on twentieth century architecture, Lund Humphries, 1970