Commissioned by the Municipality of Holon, Israel in 2003, the site of the Design Museum Holon (DMH) occupies a 3,700 square meter semi rectangular site. The museum is part of a 16-year regeneration plan for the city of Holon.
Designed by UK-based Israeli architect Ron Arad, the building itself is considered as a work of art. The generous plaza to the north acts as an introductory public space and entrance route to the museum. The plateau-like topography of the site is articulated by the arrangement of the museum over two staggered levels, connected by an external sculptural ramp – the museum’s prime circulation route. In this way, the route through the museum becomes more experiential, as it leads the visitor through a series of dramatic internal views across the museum’s internal courtyard.
The notion of creating and exploiting the tension between an internal arrangement of efficient box-like spaces, and the dynamic and curvaceous external envelope, is the guiding design principle for the entire museum.
The greater part of the museum is shrouded by five distinct bands of Weathering Steel (Cor-Ten) structure which undulate and meander their way in, out and around the museum’s internal volumes, at times in unison, at others apart; at times enclosing space, and at times notionally defining it. The bands act as a spine for the building – both supporting large parts of it structurally and dictating its posture in relation to its surroundings.
The museum’s two prime galleries provide a polar and diverse canvas for curatorial activity – the main 500 square meter gallery harnesses Israel’s consistent natural lighting potential and is lit via a layered “corduroy” of light reflectors in the ceiling. The more intimate 200 square meter second gallery provides a black box – allowing additional flexibility. Further exhibition opportunities are provided along the museum’s circulation routes and in the external spaces encompassed by the Cor-Ten bands.
Annually, Design Museum Holon will showcase site-specific exhibitions, concentrating on design concepts, objects and architecture.
