Danish architecture firm Schmidt Hammer Lassen has teamed up with American artist James Turrell to layout a domed extension to one particular of Denmark’s most-visited museums (+ slideshow).
Schmidt Hammer Lassen was invited to create a new subterranean gallery space for the ARoS Aarhus Artwork Museum, having previously created the building the museum has occupied since 2004.
Named The Subsequent Degree, the €30 million (£21 million) growth is intended to “carry the museum into the world elite of modern art museums”.
Two domed halls within the 1,200-square-metre extension will host a pair of immersive light installations by James Turrell, called The Sphere and The Dome.
Morten Schmidt describes working with the installation artist as “a privilege”.
“Our studio is not just creating a new room for a new artwork operate, we are co-producing the space and the installation concurrently with James Turrell,” he said.
Relevant story: Big plans to “breathe life” into Aarhus harbour with swimming baths and beach huts
An oculus in the ceiling of one particular of the low mounds will allow a stream of light into the underground space.
“Guests will be ready to appear up to the sky by means of a circular open hole in the ceiling,” stated a spokesperson for the company. “As an artistic indicator of the area, James Turrell wishes to develop a ray of light to get the sensation of the complementary colors.”
The new exhibition halls will hyperlink with the underground ranges of the present museum creating, which features an atrium with a coil-shaped staircase and curving balconies.
This portion of the developing is crowned by a loop-shaped viewing gallery by Danish-Icelandic artist Olafur Eliasson. Sections of the glassed spot are illuminated by vibrant colours right after nightfall.
The atrium of the ARoS Aarhus Artwork Museum, which was made and completed in 2004. Photograph is by Adam Mørk
“The Up coming Degree venture will produce the museum horizontally in contrast to the existing vertical movement, and it is fascinating to function with the fantastic lines spanning from the river to the square of the Aarhus Music Hall,” stated Schmidt.
Aerial view of the web site – click for bigger image
The ARoS Aarhus Art Museum extension is anticipated to complete in 2018. The Danish city is also property to a metal-clad library, also by Schmidt Hammer Lassen, although Henning Larsen’s turf-covered Moesgaard Museum is found close by.
Important redevelopment is also taking spot all around Aarhus’ harbour, where a cluster of iceberg-shaped blocks have been completed in 2013. Bjarke Ingels’ company Huge has also drawn up proposals for harbourside swimming baths and beach huts.
Images of James Turrell with a model of the extension are by Morten Fauerby-Montgomery.
Area – click for bigger picture 
