AfricaMuseum

During the initial phase of the implementation of the master plan, Stéphane Beel Architects restored and extended the existing museum building. Reorganization removed all secondary museum functions from the existing building and incorporated them into the new building. This created more space in the museum building for the new permanent exhibition. The original entrance to the museum and the open covered walkway in the inner courtyard have been repurposed. In addition to the meticulous restoration, they constitute several deliberately inappropriate interventions, a kind of critical comment on the original architecture. The strength of the design lies in the precise positioning of the new reception pavilion, which contrasts with the symmetry of the existing structure. In the new set-up, visitors enter the restored monument via an underground route that takes them along the public gallery and a winding route through the cellars. Finally, they enter one of the side rooms of the main building on the ground floor near the permanent reference exhibition. These twists and turns create an unusual connection between the new or renovated parts and the restoration.

This text is based on the project text provided by the architects.