Kategorie: Microarchitecture

Micromuseum Architecture, Dresden

Exhibition for the German Architects‘ Day in the German Hygiene Museum Dresden At the German Architects‘ Day 2011 in Dresden, the Chamber of Architects of Saxony presented the exhibition installation „micromuseum architecture“ by Ruairí O’Brien as part of the supporting program designed by the AKS for the DAT 2011 and an element of the diverse commitment of the AKS on the occasion of its founding 20 years ago. The object consists of basic modules, shelves and connecting elements that can be variably combined with one another. With a minimum number of these modular components, the exhibition installation can be flexibly set up in 4 different scenarios and equipped with different information materials to look at and touch as required. The exhibition installation embodies ubiquitous basic principles in architecture: the dialogue between the horizontal and the vertical, between inside and outside, between spatial boundaries and empty space, between surface and body. Client: Saxony Chamber of Architects, 2011 Execution: German workshops in Hellerau

Hologramm Machine

Holographic exhibition module for the German Hygiene Museum, Dresden The architectural concept conveys the history of the house as reflected in its key objects. The human being as a body that can be dismantled and made transparent is compared with architecture and inspired by it (structural representation of skin, skeleton, organs; proportions, symmetry/asymmetry, etc.). The wholeness of the human body, made up of individual parts, corresponds to the interplay of the architectural modules, each of which, as a micro-architectural, self-sufficient element, also forms a part of the whole. A first building block, the architectural installation “Winged Altar” for the “Anima” that returned from EXPO 2000, was already on display in the German Hygiene Museum. Client: German Hygiene Museum Foundation

Erich Kästner Museum Dresden

Museum/exhibition architecture, color concept, room program, conversion of the building into museum, event and administrative areas The micromuseum® developed by Ruairí O’Brien, a modern piece of architecture, work of art and interactive working tools, reflects the diverse personality and work of the world-famous children’s book author, poet, media person and journalist Erich Kästner. The careful insertion of a new „heart“ into the listed Villa Augustin on Albertplatz, into the former home of Kästner’s uncle, by means of a microarchitectural implantation of a house within the house – consisting of a multimedia core and 13 mobile, life-sized information modules – creates a living bridge between the past, Present and future as well as all generations. By examining and operating the life-size building blocks such as the multimedia components, visitors gain access to the exhibition content and provide insights into Erich Kästner’s complex world. In which he can gain insights on a self-directed route and at a self-determined pace. Services: Museum conception, planning HOAI Lph.1-9, exhibition design and graphics Client: Support association for the Erich Kästner Museum Dresden

The interactive journey of discovery In Dresden Neustadt, where Erich Kästner lived from 1899 to 1917, the concept of a “walk-in treasure chest” was staged by Ruairi O’Brien. While the traditional museum usually only invites its guests to look at it, visitors to the interactive micromuseum have to take action themselves. The visitor enters the museum on Antonstr. 1, he stands directly in front of an elegant two meter high, three meter long and 1.2 meter wide object. This object is the museum itself, is a work of art in itself that the visitor must examine and operate in order to access the information it contains. A dozen individual parts can be removed like building blocks, the inner parts of which turn out to be well-stocked bookshelves, pull-out drawers and display cases for photographs and personal items. A walk-in core is installed in the middle of the room, a kind of multimedia time machine. In the core, the Kästner researcher will find, in addition to books and other original objects, audio and video technology as well as a workstation through which the latest information on Erich Kästner can be accessed in multiple languages. Through architectural work, Ruairi O’Brien illustrates and combines several real spaces from Kästner’s life in one place. The use of virtual space achieves the greatest possible audience impact while at the same time making ecological gains by saving movement.

The architectural concept Through the resource-saving, microarchitectural implantation, Ruairi O’Brien’s museum concept not only revitalized the authentic old building structure, but also revitalized an important urban development area in the middle of Dresden’s Neustadt and made it accessible to the public for the first time. This living preservation of monuments fulfills the aim of preserving the historical and transporting it into the present and future by developing the existing identity (old building) and harmonizing it with the new (current content and functionality). Individual visitors are invited to discover the life-sized museum building blocks and “look behind them” and delve into individual objects at their own pace and at their own pace. Each of these building blocks is an independent object that, together with the other elements, forms a self-sufficient whole.

Gartenpost Bad Muskau

Exhibition of Prince Pückler in England, Bad Muskau Modular exhibition system as a microarchitectural implantation to revitalize historical buildings

Our modular exhibition system offers the visitor the opportunity to discover the creative and pragmatic development process of the unique Muskau Park based on the correspondence between Prince Hermann von Pückler during his trip to England and Ireland in 1826-28 and Princess Lucie. Organic growth as a central element in garden art as well as the fragmentary nature associated with it, perfection and imperfection, life as a continuous process of change and development are universal themes that find expression in this exhibition sculpture. The modular object made of maple wood condenses the individual subject areas in a unique spatially self-sufficient quality: the three protagonists Prince Pückler, his wife Lucie and Rehder, the gardener, have their say; the garden itself and the planned buildings.

Using a color concept, the visitor finds orientation to the content and can immerse himself in the topics depending on his own interests. On both a visual and a content level, it is pulled from the outside in by the object, which is in dialogue with the surrounding interior and exterior space. The creative process in the design and structure of the microarchitectural implantation in the New Palace, combined with the creative process of Pückler’s unique garden design in Muskau, which is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, creates a unique overall artistic exhibition experience for the visitor. The organic growth of an idea, the landscape garden, becomes understandable in the interplay between architecture and the exhibition theme. Competition: 1st place Services: Planning HOAI Lph. 1-9, exhibition design and graphics Client: Fürst-Pückler-Park Foundation Bad Muskau New Castle, Fürst-Pückler-Park Bad Muskau 2005

Micromuseum Betonzeitschien

Museum project on wasteland revitalization, city and building history The wasteland in Dresden-Johannstadt was revitalized by Ruairi O’Brien from 2002-2005 by creating the prefabricated building museum “Concrete Timeline”. In the micromuseum for prefabricated buildings, the architect addresses a variety of location- and history-specific time windows. Universal questions that also affect future developments from the areas of living, culture, architecture and urban development, art and society are also presented. Further information about the project can be found HERE

Micromuseum Erich Kästner

The micromuseum®, a modern piece of architecture, artwork and interactive working tool developed by Ruairí O’Brien, reflects the multifaceted personality and work of the world-famous children’s book author, poet, media man and journalist Erich Kaestner.

The careful insertion of a new „heart“ into the listed Villa Augustin on Albertplatz, the former home of Kaestner’s uncle, by means of a micro-architectural implantation of a house into the house -consisting of a multimedia core and 13 mobile life-size information modules- creates a lively bridge between past, present and future as well as all generations. By examining and operating the life-size building blocks as well as the multimedia components, the visitor gains access to the exhibition content and provides insights into the complex Erich Kaestner world. Into which he can gain insights on a self-directed route and at his own pace.

Services: Museum concept, planning HOAI Lph.1-9, exhibition design and graphics
Client: Förderverein für das Erich Kästner Museum Dresden

The interactive journey of discovery

In Dresden’s Neustadt, where Erich Kaestner lived from 1899 to 1917, the concept of a „walk-in treasure chest“ was staged by Ruairi O’Brien. While the conventional museum usually only invites its guests to contemplate, the visitor of the interactive micromuseum has to become active himself.
When the visitor enters the museum at Antonstr. 1, he stands directly in front of an elegant object that stands two meters high, three meters long and 1.2 meters wide. This object is the museum itself, it is a work of art in itself, which the visitor must examine and operate in order to access the information it contains. Like building blocks, a dozen individual parts can be detached, the interior parts of which turn out to be well-stocked bookshelves, drawers that can be pulled open, and display cases for photographs and personal objects. A walk-in core is installed in the center of the room, a kind of multimedia time machine. In addition to books and other original objects, the Kaestner researcher will find audio and video technology as well as a work station in the core, by means of which the latest information on Erich Kaestner can be accessed in several languages.
Through architectural work, Ruairi O’Brien illustrates and unites several real spaces from Kaestner’s life in one place. The use of the virtual space achieves the greatest possible audience impact while at the same time providing ecological benefits by saving movement.

The architectural concept

Through the resource-saving, micro-architectural implantation, Ruairi O’Brien’s museum concept not only revitalized authentic old building fabric, but at the same time made an important urban area in the middle of Dresden’s Neustadt accessible to the public for the first time.
This living preservation of historical buildings fulfills the claim of preserving the historical and transporting it into the present and future by bringing the existing identity (old building structure) to fruition and placing it in harmony with the new (current content and functionality).
The individual visitor is invited to discover the life-size museum building blocks according to his or her own mood and individual pace and to „look behind“ them, to delve into individual objects. Each of these building blocks is an independent object that, together with the other elements, in turn forms a self-sufficient whole.

Micromuseum Ehrenhain Zeithain

With the literal implantation of a new architectural-thematic heart, the “walk-in showcase” as a micro-architectural implantation in the historic RAD barracks preserved from the former Zeithain prisoner of war camp, the bridge is successfully built between the (structural) past and the present. This glass building, a microclimatic, soundproof object, not only addresses time but also space in a special way and, as a time capsule in a place with a special auratic effect, creates a conscious irritation that sensitizes the visitor to the exhibition theme. In the document house, visitors have the opportunity to independently work through the main topics offered in the operable micro-architectural information sculptures, which are designed in the same exhibition language, constantly offering new perspectives and using light/mirrors to create an intensive connection to the subject matter .