View Full Version : [Kalkriese] Kalkriese Archeological Museum and Park - Gigon Guyer
Setting:
(Think Russell Crowe in the movie Gladiator at the very start, except he dies there and then!!:rock on: :rock on: )
Large areas of Germania are occupied by Roman troops. In a wooded area, the Romans are enticed into an ambush. In true historical tradition, a fierce battle ensues. The Roman army loses three legions - more than 10 000 people die. Named after Roman military leader 'Publius Quinctilius Varus', this defeat of the Romans went down in history as "The Varus Battle" (also known as "The Battle of the Teutoburg Forest".)
1987: First indications of military conflict between the Romans and the Germanic tribes emerge - 162 Roman coins and 3 lead sling shots.
1989: Archaeological excavation work begins. Coins, weapons, fragments of Roman soldiers' equipment, and also animal and human bones are excavated. In addition, remains of a rampart are discovered that gave the Germanic tribes camouflage and protection in their attack of the Romans. For centuries the site of the Varus Battle had been searched for. It was discovered in Kalkriese. Since then, Kalkreise has been recognised as being one of the most important archaeological excavation sites in Europe.
2000: The park opens. The park, an information centre, excavations, and special events offer the visitors diverse opportunities to see for themselves the archaeological findings on site.
2002: The grand opening of the museum, with a new exhibition, tower and altered park designed by Swiss architecture firm, Gigon Guyer (http://www.gigon-guyer.ch/).
The former visitor's centre now houses a children's museum, a shop and a restaurant.
Opening times of Museum and Park Kalkriese
Daily: 10:00am - 6:00pm.
Dogs may be brought into the park on a lead but are not permitted to enter the exhibition area.
Opening times during the winter months:
The winter season is from November to March. During this time, Museum and Park Kalkriese is closed on Mondays. The museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The times of the guided tours are brought forward to fit in better with the hours of daylight: during the winter season until 31st March, visitors can join public guided tours on Wednesdays and Saturdays at 2:30pm and on Sundays and public holidays at 11:00 am and 2:30 p.m.
Address:
Varusschlacht im Osnabrücker Land gGmbH
Museum und Park Kalkriese
Venner Straße 69
49565 Bramsche-Kalkriese
Germany
Website:
http://www.kalkriese-varusschlacht.de/englisch/start_eng.html
Contact details:
Tel: 0049 (0) 5468 92040
Fax: 0049 (0) 5468 920445
E-mail: kontakt@kalkriese-varusschlcht.de
Admission fees:
Adults: € 7.00
Children up to 16 years of age, pupils, students, severely handicapped:
€ 4.00
To get there by car:
Follow the A1 motorway (Münster - Bremen) and take the Bramsche exit. Travel east on the
B 218 (towards Venne, Bad Essen) to Museum and Park Kalkriese. The site is on the left-hand side.
I first saw this in an El Croquis and since then I have always wanted to see it. I was lucky enough to be driven there by our friend who is living in Münster. I have tried looking for public transport information but it's rather difficult, maybe get to the nearest train station and catch a cab? There seems to be buses there, and silly me, I should have got out and wrote down the information. Mind you, we were kind of lost at that stage.
Anyway, here is the context of some of the surrounding landscape of the area.
the context of buildings and colours
so the choice of corten not only goes well with the archeological feel of the place, but also the surrounding context.
here is how the tower looks from the main road.
view of the tower once you turn off Venner Straße and into the carpark
the approach ...
Which i thought was rather disappointing, because from the El Croquis and the first shot I showed you, the tower always appears to be something in the distance like a battle tower overlooking the landscape. I have always thought you would see the park and the various pavilions first and then journey to the museum+tower last... I was wrong.
You first go through the old building and then you approach the museum+tower along like this.
and then it really dawns on you that this thing is big
and i mean, this guy is really tall already :eek:
beautifully detailed (of course, they are Swiss!)
from the undercroft looking back at the entry stairs
inside are also steel panels, but refined and not corten
walls and floors and ceiling... all the same material
the only room with colour... the locker room
the exhibitions are playfully designed and curated
cool little displays
(note the steel panels at the back, those heat stress marks are from the laser cut which didn't show when the museum was first opened, now they are showing with age)
and the detail of one of these displays
information navigation system - a steel spinning wheel
ok, time to go up the tower!
it's a big climb as you can see, one of these sections is like 3 storeys tall, and there are 2 of these sections to climb to the top :eek:
even the roof is in corten
another section (view from stair)
and finally, the top!
you can see the park in the background and the corten retaining walls
the park itself
(intermission... primocordara, bring on google earth info please sir)
primocordara
19-10-2005, 10:51
flattered by the request...
primocordara
19-10-2005, 10:53
Here a road map, as GE is low res. The cool thing of GE is you can zoom in -out and make your own road maps. Some services are available too in some cities.
you rock primo :rock on:
ok, now the park bit, the way is paved with these random corten sheets leading to a series of corten pavilions which, to this day i still have no idea what exactly they are for except they are cool art installations.
the first one is this one that has a lens which can see 180 degrees and inverted inside the pavilion, which is pitch dark
interior vs exterior materials
and... um, the inverted image from the inside :confused:
looking back to the tower and the lens pavilion
one of the functions of these corten retaining walls (which i thought originally was to make it look like battle trenches) is in fact a complete enclosure that shows the ground level around 9AD and the type of vegetation/landscape during the Battle of Varus.
here a ramp brings you down to that level and graphic printed is showing you that you are going below existing ground level
another element of this park are these corten poles.
they are there to indicate the line of the old germanian fortification (which you can see a replica here in this photo)
leading onto the next pavilion, and perhaps the one that's most fun
this one is definitely about sound, the snorkel you can actually spin around and listen to the surrounds or you can speak into it and people can hear you outside.
it's really funny to see this periscope when it's moving on top of this pavilion
see that slit window and the ledge to stand on in the previous photo?
well, here is a shot taken from my height (180cm / 5'11") and I can just make it. my german friend is tall and he is perfect for that window, my finnish partner is short and can't even reach.
there is also one more pavilion, but that one was shut.
what about a corten site model?
primocordara
19-10-2005, 11:41
I have these on an old issue of Summa, I'll check i out! Of course I remembered the "Periscope" and the "eye" pavilions...!
one might also ask, what ELSE is there to see in that part of the world.
Kalkriese is near Osnabruck, which is where the first museum by Daniel Libeskind, the Felix Nussbaum Museum is located.
and not to mention, that wonderful library by Bolles + Wilson at Münster (and other of their projects)
You Have To Hand It To Those Swiss, They Don't Do Things In Halves....
That Entrance Is Very Deceptive. It Does Look Alot Smaller.. Then Grows And Grows Into The Towering Menace That It Is, Which May Have Been Their Intention That Or It Wasn't Realised Cos They Were Too Busy Writing In The Spec, "cor-ten Finish"
Why Do People Love Cor-ten So Much????
Any Thoughts
Well, corten does look good if you know how to use it.
I don't think it has been used thaaat much anyways (or maybe I haven't been paying attention (or maybe I don't exactly know what corten is ( :wondering )))
Very nice pics Kevin Thank you!
Thanks Kevin our beloved arch reporter around the world!!! :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
imasayer
20-10-2005, 16:26
You must have been busy lately, we haven't seen posts like this from you in a long time. Thank you though, this and Zumthor's project are some of the best posts ever.
:rock on: :cheers: :rock on: :cheers: :rock on: :cheers: :rock on:
imasayer
20-10-2005, 16:32
Why Do People Love Cor-ten So Much????
Any Thoughts
Look at that color! The texture is really nice too, It gives it a matte finish with no reflection or glare at all. It also requires no maintenance, that means that once it is in place no fading, no painting, no cleaning, nothing! I am sold how about you?
i tried to show, in the first posts that corten is perfect for the context and colour of the area as well as an archeological/battlefield feel.
one of the few instances where corten is the perfectly legitimate choice.
lavardera
20-10-2005, 17:58
I think there was a very good account of this battle and the archeological discoveries in the Sept05 issue of Smithsonian Magazine.
http://www.smithsonianmag.si.edu/smithsonian/issues05/sep05/ambush.html
Look at that color! The texture is really nice too, It gives it a matte finish with no reflection or glare at all. It also requires no maintenance, that means that once it is in place no fading, no painting, no cleaning, nothing! I am sold how about you?
Except for the staining that occurs to surrounding areas because of water runoff. Here's a detail of a project where we used it. Not bad in this location, but sidewalks get some staining.
jparchitectus
20-10-2005, 21:59
He has a ton of images in storage...of past visits.
imasayer
20-10-2005, 23:13
Except for the staining that occurs to surrounding areas because of water runoff. Here's a detail of a project where we used it. Not bad in this location, but sidewalks get some staining.
Good point Jake, you do have to be careful about surrounding surfaces.
this one is definitely about sound, the snorkel you can actually spin around and listen to the surrounds or you can speak into it and people can hear you outside.
it's really funny to see this periscope when it's moving on top of this pavilion
Homage to Dr. Dr. Seuss! :rock on:
Thanks swank-e for great sequence of photos.
Look at that color! The texture is really nice too, It gives it a matte finish with no reflection or glare at all. It also requires no maintenance, that means that once it is in place no fading, no painting, no cleaning, nothing! I am sold how about you?
:no no no:
Why Not COR-TEN® in Architectural Applications?
Consistent with United States Steel Corporation's ("USS") policy over the last two decades, USS reiterates and reminds that COR-TEN® steel sheet products should not be sold when the intended use is for an architectural application, such as roofing and siding. USS has consistently maintained this position because of the risk of corrosion from factors beyond the control of the COR-TEN® steel licensee (e.g. improper design, fabrication, erection and/or maintenance).
They now produce something called Cor-ten AZP; Fake cor-ten; prepainted galvalume which duplicates the "look" of cor-ten.
Bummer for hard core modernists.
:(
primocordara
21-11-2005, 19:59
one might also ask, what ELSE is there to see in that part of the world.
Kalkriese is near Osnabruck, which is where the first museum by Daniel Libeskind, the Felix Nussbaum Museum is located.
Here the kmz by Archinform ... (accuracy level 3 so might be a few blocks away)
primocordara
21-11-2005, 20:10
and not to mention, that wonderful library by Bolles + Wilson at Münster (and other of their projects)
Here it is, also by Archinform, precision level 3... (it means it is automaticaly placed in the correct street, in the middle of its length)
primocordara
11-06-2006, 15:46
here the new hi-res view in GE...
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