Lah Contemporary Museum garden
Bled, Slovenia
Description: Landscape garden for a contemporary art museum
Location: Bled, Slovenia
Area: 10.6 ha
Status: Planning application received in 2021
Stages: Concept design to detailed design
Period: 2017 - 2018
Client: ARTARHIV d.o.o.
Architect: David Chipperfield Architects
Djao-Rakitine Team: Irène Djao-Rakitine, Chun Wing Fok, Amélia Chevée
The project includes a public square (the Museum entrance square) and a garden for the museum.
The square's main feature is a water table mirroring the sky and bringing enhanced natural light at the bottom of the valley.
Carpinus betulus and Fagus sylvatica found in the surrounding forest are used as cut hedges to frame the garden, create a planted transition to the forest, and accompany the walker through the Museum Garden.
A meandering path following the existing topography creates a promenade through the artworks. (Early model of the project).
Circulation sketch study.
Study for hedge composition and heights.
Set at the foot of the Julian Alps on the eastern edge of Lake Bled, the town of Bled contributes to one of the most scenic landscapes in Slovenia. This new contemporary art museum is located within an area of cultural and historical protection in a valley below the town’s medieval castle. It will house a private collection featuring a wide range of art by major Slovenian and international artists, and forms part of a masterplan by the local municipality that will contribute to the cultural life of the region.
The site being located at the bottom of a small valley, does not get direct sunlight all day. Therefore, the initial project for the Museum entrance square includes a water mirror table that reflects the sky and natural light as a main feature. Besides, the square is structured by clumps of trees of various species such as Pinus sylvestris and colourful foliage species (Acer saccharinum, etc.).
The Museum Garden, which is accessible from the entrance gallery, provides a place to explore important installations and sculptures from the collection in a landscape setting, further strengthening the building’s connection with nature. It is a secluded respite located to the north of the museum, providing a view on the castle and the surroundings. Through a meandering path which follows the existing topography, visitors can discover artworks and pavilions and contemplate the landscape from the long benches along the path. Carpinus betulus and Fagus sylvatica found in the surrounding forest are used as cut hedges to frame the garden, create a planted transition to the forest, and accompany the walker through the Museum Garden.
All images are © Djao-Rakitine, unless otherwise stated.
