In 1987, Remy Zaugg wrote Le musée des Beaux-Arts auquel je rêve ou le lieu de l’œuvre et de l’homme (The Art Museum of My Dreams or, a Place for the Work and the Human Being), which explored the intersection between art, the viewer and the museum environment, ideal for the artistic experience. To design a good museum, it is necessary to establish and understand which parameters should be assessed and studied. Through a brief weekend itinerary —consisting of spaces for art, but also other facilities— we seek to answer the question of how to design an ideal museum, the ‘museum of my dreams’.
A museum must create an interesting urban space. L’Atlàntida in Vic, although a performing arts centre, exemplifies this by creating spaces that act as a hinge with the surrounding environment, generating what all cultural facilities should be: a point of reference for the city.
A museum must redefine its context. The Ter Museum, with its reinterpretation of the existing façade of Can Sanglas, not only achieves harmonious integration with the natural environment, but also enhances its heritage. In the same way, the Pedra Tosca park manages, with a small intervention, to redefine our view of the natural environment.
A museum must offer proper circulation and museographic sequencing. In terms of spatial design, the Episcopal Museum of Vic is a sublime lesson, with an organic movement through its sacred exhibition.
A museum must be an interesting place. Space and grandeur are essential, as demonstrated by the MNATEC, which reformulates the old Aymerich, Amat i Jover factory and its impressive structure.
Finally, a museum must pay attention to detail. The meticulousness with which the Terrassa Cultural Centre has been developed is reminiscent of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation in Lisbon. The ceilings are particularly noteworthy, as is the importance of the module, the materiality and placement of specific devices. It is, in short, a hidden gem.
In conclusion, a museum is a place that, far from being alien to the visitor, is a refuge to which one can go to encounter culture and understand our place in the world.
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