History Museum Graz / INNOCAD Architecture

Architects: INNOCAD Architecture
Location: Graz, Austria
Team: Patrick Handler, Martin Lesjak, Jörg Kindermann, Dominik Gladik, Sigrid Prinz, Amila Smajlovic
Area: 832.0 m2
Project Year: 2017
Photographs: Paul Ott

Lighting Design: GOL Lichtdesign_guardians of light
Audiovisual: Universalmuseum Joanneum
Artist (Lighting Installation Entrance): Brigitte Kowanz
Typography “100 X Styria”: Thomas Maier
Structural Engineer: DI Manfred Petschnigg
Electrical Engineer: pi-Plan GmbH / orange energy Friedl GmbH
Hvac, Mep Engineer: Pechmann GmbH
Fire Protection Planning And Civil Engineer: Norbert Rabl Ziviltechniker GmbH
Wood Works, Metal Works, Assembly Works: Meistermetall / Workshop
Contractors: Universalmuseum Joanneum
Dry Construction: Ruckenstuhl GmbH
Glass Work: Glas Sajko GmbH
Flooring And Coatings: Haring & Marx GmbH
Hvac: Hübl Haustechnik
Client: Universalmuseum Joanneum

Text description provided by the architects. The new trilogy of permanent exhibitions showcases the Styrian cultural heritage at the History Museum, located on the second floor of the Palais Herberstein, a significant historic building in the city center. The “Schaudepot”, conceived as an exhibition depot, consisting of two parts, the Cultural History Collection and the Multimedia Collection, represents together with the exhibition “100 x Styria” a milestone in the transformation of the History Museum Graz.

The first section of “Schaudepot” honors the diversity of physical objects that reflects use of industrial material with less customization while providing an interaction with the historic artifacts. While the exhibition setting is multifunctional and freely adaptable, it also retains a consistent interior lining which creates an atmosphere that displays objects of various shapes and sizes allowing visitors to experience the historical space from an unexpected perspective.

The second part displays multimedia archives enabling deep insights into the dispersed depot character through tailored scenography which leads the visitor to embark on a journey through the genesis of the Multimedia Collection.

Finally, formerly hidden treasures of both collections are made accessible to the public in a raw and industrial surrounding, enabled by the fluent transition throughout of an infinite metal wall loop that allows a balance of historic content and contemporary exhibition design.

The exhibition “100 x Styria”, which is located in the outstanding historic mirror hall, articulates spatial intervention in both functional and artistic ways. Relating to the concept of a “laid table of history”, the furniture-like installations made of glass or mirror are implemented with the aim to remind and reflect the historic use of these chambers. The space, furniture, objects, and visitors easily merge into one another and simultaneously maintain one exhibition medium. By becoming a part of the exhibition through the boundaries blurring, the spatial experience raises questions like: “What is forthcoming? What remains?”