Description

The Artothèque is part of the town of Mons’ “Pôle muséal”, which consists of five cultural institutions and was created in preparation for Mons’ role as the “European Capital of Culture” in 2015. In addition to its function as an archive, research centre and restoration centre, the Artothèque is a virtual display of around 50,000 works of art along with background information on their creation. The institution is housed in the chapel of an Ursuline monastery from the early 18th century. It was destroyed during the Second World War and what remained was converted into a furniture warehouse. The city of Mons acquired the building in 2007 to house the central exhibition depot for its art collections. The archives, which extend over six floors, serve as a store and restoration workshop for the objects, which range from early history to modern art, while on the ground floor next to the entrance hall, the objects can be called up for viewing and studying in detail.

The concept is a subtle and ironic commentary on the town’s declared historical status. On the outside, the state prior to its destruction has been perfectly restored with great care. Inside, on the other hand, all changes made after the world wars are immediately visible, producing contrasting impressions wherever you look! The insertions made in the fifties were removed, but their six-storey structure was retained. The new insertions conceal the east wall of the nave and are kept apart from the west wall by a vertical, slightly inclined, diamond-shaped lattice framework. This not only makes the construction periods on the old wall legible, but also creates space for the stairs which lead to the first floor and the reading room arranged off to one side. The ceiling was similarly removed to reveal the structure of the roof trusses. The tight budget of five million euros has resulted in an “architectura povera” of such ingenuity that one barely notices the otherwise simple standard of finishes throughout the building.

Originally published in Bauwelt 32-33./2015, pp. 42-43, abridged and edited for Building Types online, translated by Julian Reisenberger

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