LE CORBUSIER: HEIDI WEBER MUSEUM, ZURICH

ESPAÑOL

 The Le Corbusier or Heidi Weber Museum in Zurich, Switzerland, is the latest work of the famous Swiss-French architect, and that is precisely dedicated to his work, housing some of his paintings sculptures, furniture, documents and models of some of his work.

The building was commissioned in 1960 and after many changes and it was inaugurated in 1967, two years after the death of its creator. 

The building is located in a small park not far from Lake Zurich, .It is remarkable that the orientation of the building is set diagonally, unlike all the buildings in the area which are placed parallel to the direction of the lake.

The museum Le Corbusier materializes the spirit of his architectural theories, establishing a dialogue between art and architecture. I was conducted thanks to the enthusiasm of her friend Heidi Weber, who owned an art gallery in Zurich.

The museum clearly highlights two elements: the cover and the body of the building.
Le Corbusier devised coverage pavilion originally reinforced concrete but was later convinced realize in metal. This metal structure composed of metal plates, 5 mm thick, was designed on the basis of two squares of 12 x 12 meters square and is supported by pillars of 9 meters high, found in the middle of the sides of the building leaving the corners free.

This characteristic as well as the form of the roof, folded like an origami, give it a light and dynamic character.

Under the roof, the body of the museum is organized in cubic modules of 2.26 meters per side, corresponding to the measurements of the Modulor. Its arrangement reflects the theory of infinite growth something that had been proposed in museums in Tokyo and Chandigarh.

The roof was prefabricated in the steel manufactory and thereafter, in the biggest possible units, transported to the building site, where it was assembled on the ground. The two finally welded pans of the roof were then lifted to their final height (9 m) by a crane and fixed on the pillars.With the frame thus completed the construction process benefited from the independent roof protection which was at that time already in its proper place. It consists of cubes of 2.26 x 2.26 m [edged steel pieces - 3mm thick). which were are assembled on the site..

Walls. windows, openings and floors were then screwed on to the steel frame. The walls consist of enamelled panels measuring 1.13 x 2.26 m.

The placing of these enamel panels was planned according to a particular rhythmic system. a system which could be adapted for any other composition preferred. Afterwards, the entire building complex was placed on a concrete ground floor.

The building has two floors - five single-storied and one double-stored rooms.

When constructing the building complex. more than 20,000 bolts were used.

Inside the building is organized on two levels and a basement. The program, in addition to the exhibition rooms, including an auditorium, a dining room and terraces

SEE ALSO:

- OTHER works of Le Corbusier. 

• House Curutchet. La Plata.
• Chandigarh, urban approach.
• Chandigarh, Capitol.
• National Museum of Western Art, Tokyo, Japan. (1956-1959)
• Unité d'Habitation, Berlin, Germany. (1956-1959)

CALATRAVA: STADELHOFEN STATION, ZURICH

ESPAÑOL

The expansion of the historic Stadelhofen Station in Zurich, Switzerland, is a celebrated work by the Spanish architect-engineer-sculptor Santiago Calatrava. The Valencian architect utilized a "Neo-Art Nouveau" style, somehow reminiscent of Gaudi's architecture, by  using both metallic elements and concrete structures, and created a proposal to solve difficult functional issues, in addition to spatially and visually linking different urban areas.

OVERVIEW

The original  Stadelhofen station was built in neoclassical style and dates from 1894, linking this district to the central Zurich.Stadelhofen is located on a hill parallel to the lake. 

In 1990, changes were made to the city railway network and it was also required to link this area with Kreuzbühl Street, which runs parallel but at a lower level, and to the small square to which many streetcar lines converge.

See location on Google Maps

THE PROJECT

The extension of the station was not an easy project to undertake, since it was a cyrve section, with a pronounced slope. Calatrava was the winner of a contest by proposing to excavate part of the hill to accommodate various functions and then rebuild the topography with a new aesthetic.



The project consists of 4 areas:

Underground galleries

The underground space that allows the transit between the different platforms, in addition to host shops and other activities, is framed by sculptural arches. The galleries are naturally lit trough glass blocks embedded on the platforms.





Platforms

Both platforms are covered by galleries, but they have been conceived in a very different manner.

The platform closest to the hill is massive and supports a gallery made of concrete by means of steel columns.



The opposite gallery, however, is transparent and of a very light appearance, made of metal and laminated glass, that somehow evokes the entrances to the Metro of Paris, made in style Art Nouveau style by Hector Grimard. The steel columns are separated every 9 m and they are connected to a tube that works in tension.

Upper gallery

This longitudinal passage is supported not only by the columns on the platform, but also suspended by metal structures anchored to the concrete.

This gallery displays a favorite subject of Calatrava, the succession of metallic elements which together make up a skeleton that defines a virtual space.

Two bridges connect the street level above with the Kreuzbühlstrasse street, and  which I found reminiscent of some details of the Milla House by Antonio Gaudi .





Upper garden

This terrace acts as an extension of public space, like an urban balcony facing the lake.The posts and furniture have been conceived as sculptural elements that afford a playful character to this terrace.

Moreover, the structures support vegetation as an extension of the garden into the gallery above.



 Both the shape of the metallic structures, the slope of the concrete wall and the projection of the bridges denote the intention to link visually the upper and lower level of the station, with a smooth but at the same time dynamic transition .


DETAILS

 SEE ALSO

 TRANSPORTATION - AIRPORT - TERMINALS

• Coming soon