Museum Angewandte Kunst (MAK) in Frankfurt

Project by Richard Meier - Frankfurt am Main (1985)

Il Museum of Applied Arts(MAK)¹ is located along the Museum Shore² in Frankfurt am Main in Germany and was designed by the American architect Richard MeierCompleted in 1985, the building was created to house the city's applied arts collections and to expand the spaces of the then Museum für Kunsthandwerk³The project does not replace the existing historic building, but integrates it into a new architectural ensemble that unites the Villa Metzler⁴, the park and the new museum.

Entrance to the Museum Angewandte Kunst (MAK) from the Frankfurt riverside

History and development of the project

In the 1970s the city of Frankfurt initiated a large-scale cultural redevelopment program of the city center. The goal was to concentrate numerous museums along the southern bank of the Main River. In this context, the need arose to expand the Museum für Kunsthandwerk, housed in the historic Villa Metzler since 1961.

In 1979, Richard Meier was commissioned to design the new building. Construction took approximately three years, and the museum opened on April 25, 1985. This project provided the museum with approximately 5.000 square meters of new exhibition space. In 2000, the institution took on its current name, the Museum Angewandte Kunst. Furthermore, an interior renovation in 2013 eliminated numerous additions built in the 1990s. Consequently, the spaces open to visitors today have been returned to the spatial layout originally conceived by Meier.

DWG drawing of the ground floor of the Museum Angewandte Kunst (MAK) in Frankfurt

DWG plans and elevations of the Museum Angewandte Kunst (MAK) in Frankfurt

DWG drawings from Museum Angewandte Kunst available

Architectural features of the building

The Museum Angewandte Kunst reflects the architectural language developed by Richard Meier in the same years. This style is characterized by simple geometric volumes, white surfaces, and great attention to natural light. Furthermore, the project recalls the principles of Modern Movement, in particular the works of Le CorbusierThe latter is the declared reference of the architect and the "New York Five" group.⁵, of which Meier was a part.

Detail of the museum's exterior seen from Metzlerpark

The building takes on an L-shaped configuration, composed of three cubic volumes that, together with Villa Metzler, form a quadrangular complex organized around a central courtyard. The dimensions of the new volumes derive directly from the proportions of the historic villa.
This choice allows for the establishment of a balanced relationship between the pre-existing building and the new structure built in 1985.

Inside, the various exhibition levels are connected by a ramp that guides the visitor along the route. Large glass surfaces allow abundant natural light to enter and maintain a constant visual connection with the park and the river. The layout of the spaces is designed to offer flexible spaces, easily adaptable to temporary and permanent exhibitions.

The relationship with the urban context

One of the most interesting aspects of the project is the way the new building interacts with its context. Richard Meier avoids isolating the museum as an autonomous object and instead constructs a system comprising the Villa Metzler, the Metzlerpark, and the new building. The park becomes an integral part of the visitor experience and helps connect the architecture with the landscape of the Museumsufer.

The pedestrian path that passes through the Museum Angewandte Kunst (MAK) in Frankfurt

The entrance opens onto the internal courtyard, a transitional space between the city and the museum, gradually introducing visitors to the exhibition spaces. The large openings to the outside also reinforce this continuity, allowing constant glimpses of the greenery and the riverfront.

The elimination of any rigid continuity between the museum complex and the "outside" culminates in the pedestrian path that runs through the entire Metzlerpark, parallel to the riverfront. Meier enhances this by having it pass through the building from side to side. A connection that highlights the desire to create. a living space, not a closed treasure chest, capable of actively dialoguing with the rest of the city and its inhabitants.

Note

1. Museum of Applied Arts — “Museum of Applied Arts” in German
2. Museum Shore — “Museum Promenade” in German
3. Museum für Kunsthandwerk — “Museum of Artistic Crafts”, literal translation from German
4. Villa Metzler — Private residence in neoclassical style from the early 800th century, designed by the architect Johann Georg Christian Hess for the Metzler family, a banking family from Frankfurt
5. new york five — A group consisting of Peter Eisenman, Michael Graves, Charles Gwathmey, John Hejduk, and Richard Meier. Their early works were inspired by the formal principles of the Modern Movement, particularly the architecture of Le Corbusier.