Gigon Guyer

Fondazione Marguerite Arp . Locarno

Annette Gigon / Mike Guyer, Architects . Fondazione Marguerite Arp . photos: © Shinkenchiku-sha/ Makoto Yamamori

The new building realized according to plans by the architects Annette Gigon and Mike Guyer presents itself as a light grey cube of sandblasted concrete. It houses a depot for the artworks in the collection as well as a ninety-m2-large exhibition space.

© Roberto Pellegrini

The depot is an art storage facility that fulfils current conservation standards. The exhibition space shall make parts of the collection accessible to the public in changing presentations. The foundation’s art collection comprises over 1600 works. Although the majority of them were created by Jean Arp and Sophie Taeuber-Arp, other important artists such Max Bill, Julius Bissier, Alexander Calder, Robert Delaunay, Marcel Duchamp, Max Ernst, Alberto Giacometti, Wassily Kandinsky, Paul Klee, Alberto Magnelli, Man Ray, Joan Miró, Meret Oppenheim, Francis Picabia, Hans Richter are also represented.

Project: Fondazione Marguerite Arp, Locarno
Spatial Programme: Depot, exhibition space for the artworks of the collection
Commission: 2008
Planning/ Construction: 2008 – 2014
Client: Fondazione Marguerite Arp, Solduno
Architecture: Annette Gigon / Mike Guyer, Architects, Zurich
Collaborators:
Barbara Schlauri (Project Manager), Urs Meyer, Damien
Andenmatten
Construction Manager/ Costs: Architetti associati, Verscio
Gross Floor Area (SIA 416): 304 m2
Structural Engineer: De Giorgi & Partner, Muralto
Electrical Engineer: Scherler Ingegneri Elettrici, Lugano
Building Services Engineer: Studio AGS, Locarno