J. Mayer H. Architects has revealed their design for the new Kärcher Musuem that took 3rd prize in a recent closed competition. Designed for international cleaner manufacturer Kärcher, the museum will feature exhibits on the company’s 80+ year legacy and the history of cleaning technologies.
Located on a 2,500 square meter site in Winnenden, Germany, J. Mayer H. Architects’ proposal takes the form of a large, sawtooth cut volume inspired by the surrounding commercial and industrial structures. This monolithic form is cut into at the entrance, revealing the hollowed out interior within. Additional cuts into the body offer views to neighboring company buildings, toward the city and to the surrounding landscape.
“The large volume is structured by the folded design of the roof,” explain the architects. “On the ground floor of the façade, generous glazing that takes up the compositional principle of the roof provides light for the interior.”
The large overhang at the entrance would also create a covered outdoor space that could be used for presentations or outdoor events. Inside, circulation paths would ascend from the large, open first floor toward second floor galleries spaces, with intimacy created by the changing roof profile.
“The building’s striking silhouette underscores the building’s special function,” add the architects. “It is a structure that is easily recognized, but at the same time by quoting the saw-tooth roof it is well integrated into Winnenden’s urban context.”
Architects
Location
71364 Winnenden, GermanyDesign Team
Jürgen Mayer H., Hans Schneider, Matthias Gotter, Christoph Heuer, Regina Schubert, Frieder VoglerClient
Alfred Kärcher GmbH & Co. KGPhotographs
Courtesy of J. Mayer H. ArchitectsArchitects