Porsche Museum, Stuttgart
Delugan Meissl Associated Architects, Vienna

About 170 architectural firms all over the world participated in this competition. The winners, the Austrian architects Delugan and Meissla, were announced in January 2005. A symbol of speed and prestige, this remarkable project, which recaptures the values of the mythical value in which Ferdinand Porche established himself in 1938, has now been renamed the Porscheplatz. The monolithic exterior reflects suppleness, speed and movement as the architects see it. The exterior is a foretaste of what visitors will experience when they enter the museum. The angles and variety of textures and levels reveal a structural complexity that reflects a machine.

Balanced on three double concrete pillars, the exhibition hall appears to hover weightlessly. Indeed, not only did the architects consider the building with regard to its structure but also used it to interpellate the visitor and stimulate the senses. The exchange between the interaction of the building, the visitors and the inner spaces multiply the perspectives. 80 old models and more than 200 historical pieces are displayed in an exhibition area of about 5600 m²; the collection develops and meanders on various levels linked by ‘sloping streets’. The museum graphics of HG Merz Architects in collaboration with Professor Gottfried Kroff eliminate all unnecessary scenes but allow the prestigious sports cars to be shown to their full advantage.  Especially striking is the special shape of the architecture and the large halls with rounded angles where white is the dominant colour. As in the case of paintings exhibited in important museums, the decor should not be overshadowed by the objects on display. This international meeting place for clients and Porsche lovers allows no fewer than 200,000 visitors per year.

http://www.deluganmeissl.at