Silkeborg Museum information

Alot of information about the museum found on these sites:
http://architecture.about.com/library/blutzon-silkeberg.htm
http://www.arcspace.com/architects/utzon/silkeborg.htm

Research

“The world of the curved form can give something that cannot ever be achieved by means of rectangular architecture. The hulls of ships, caves and sculpture demonstrate this.”

“It will be with a sense of surprise and a desire to penetrate down into the building that the visitor for the first time sees the three-storey building open beneath him. Unconcerned - by stairs and corridors, which normally disturb - the viewer will glide almost effortlessly down into the museum via the ramp, taking him through the space.
Strict geometry will form the basis for a simple constructional shape. The vible curved external surfaces are to be clad with ceramics in strong colors so that the parts of the building emerge like shining ceramic sculptures, and inside the museum will be kept white.”

Jørn Utzon


Excerpt from http://www.arcspace.com/architects/utzon/silkeborg.htm

At the time of the project Silkeborg town museum was housed in a low Neoclassical building organized in long wings around a courtyard. To one side the site is bordered by a busy road several meters above the lawn, to the other by a disused railway line.

Danish artist Asger Jorn, instrumental in the formation of the radical COBRA group, had established a world-wide reputation by the 1960’s as Denmark’s leading modern artist. Having lived in Silkeborg with his family since 1929 he donated a substantial amount of his own work, as well as his collection by other COBRA artists, to the Silkeborg Museum in the late 1950’s with the understanding that a wing would be added to house it.
After meeting Utzon Jorn wrote the Museum director indicating that he had “come to the conclusion that it would be contrary to the entire spirit of the collection to announce an architectural competition for the building.”

To ease the process he offered to pay the architect’s fees, provided the commision was given to “The only Danish architect of my day who is of decidedly International outlook... I cannot see any other Dane at the moment who would be able to create a building that has an intimate relationship to the artictic form of expression represented by the collection.”

Jorn received Utzon’s proposal in 1964 and declared them “Brilliant, Fantastic”.