Zeitz MOCAA : Museum of Contemporary Art Africa : Cape Town
Contributed by Canyon Baggerly
Principles and Elements
The Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art most prominently displays the design elements and principles of form, light, proportion, emphasis, and harmony. The structural component of the building repurposes 42 tightly packed concrete grain silos. The cylindrical forms of the silos are carved away in varying degrees throughout the museum to create a curving and dynamic interior, comprising exhibition and atrium spaces. The museum also contains standard, box-like museum spaces. Each grain silo stands approximately ten-stories tall, making the museum’s interior proportionally larger than the human scale. The grain silos are topped with a combination of lattice-work and circular skylights, illuminating and emphasizing the museum’s exhibitions with an immense amount of natural light. These design principles and elements contribute to an overall sense of harmony throughout the Zeitz Museum.
Connections
The Zeitz Museum occupies the carved interior of the historic Grain Silo Complex. The silo complex once operated within the thriving industrial harbor of Cape Town, Africa, but fell into disuse in 1990. The repurposing of the grain silos into a contemporary museum amplifying African creatives and artists connects visitors to both the culture and history of Cape Town, and the African continent as a whole
Materials
The museum is comprised of 42 repurposed cylindrical concrete grain silos. The material choice of the museum is dictated by the intention of revitalizing the dormant grain silos on Cape Town’s Harbor and wasn’t a purposeful material choice. The museum’s additional construction materials include steel and glass, for supports and windows respectively. The artwork and exhibits within the museum also exist as a type of “material” that shapes the interior spaces.
Light and Color
The concrete grain silos are topped with an array of circular skylights and latticework glass panes and mullions. The museum’s interior is primarily illuminated with natural light which enters through the skylights. The overhead influence of natural light contributes to an atmosphere akin to a cathedral with decorative stained-glass windows. The museum’s design minimizes the use of colorful materials, allowing the artwork within to take center stage.
Experience
The Zeitz Museum offers an experience grounded in exploration and observation, guided through visual appeal and the deconstruction of preconceived notions. The museum features interior galleries and atriums comprised of curving and organic forms, juxtaposing the solid appearance of the exterior and visually intriguing visitors upon entry. Light heavily contributes to the visitor experience, providing a heavenly atmosphere that mimics Gothic cathedrals through overhead illumination. Materially, concrete can weigh down an interior, and the influence of overhead light combined with curving forms offers an almost “weightless” feeling within the space that guides viewers to observe and explore the galleries and installations housed within the Zeitz Museum.
Theories
The Zeitz Museum is dictated by human-centered design theories, perfectly tailoring the experience of the viewer as they explore the exhibits and galleries. The museum minimizes furniture, inviting guests to constantly interact with the museum galleries. The museum also operates heavily under the influence of theories associated with sustainability and environmentally conscious construction efforts, repurposing an existing structure rather than building anew.
Technology
The designers of the museum carefully considered the technical approach of carving the concrete silos to retain the authenticity and structural integrity of the building. This museum’s final form embodies a careful balance between the original function of the grain silos and its reinvented purpose as an art gallery, only made possible by the technological precision of the architects and designers.
Finishes
The museum’s interior doesn’t contain many finishes. This feature, or lack thereof, helps to emphasize the impressive nature of its form and structure. Essential components of any public building, like elevators and staircases, are circular in shape and form within the Zeitz Museum, allowing them to blend seamlessly with the cylindrical concrete grain silos.
Furnishings
The museum approaches furnishings in a similar manner to finishes. There is a lack of furniture throughout the museum’s lobby, hallways, and exhibits. This requires viewers to actively engage with the artworks, which in a sense are furnishings themselves, and continually maneuver through the museum.
Telling Stories
The Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art facilitates a narrative between the history of Cape Town while additionally supporting and administering a space for African artists to share their stories. The designers and architects of the museum chose to revitalize and repurpose the Historic Grain Silo Complex to connect and educate viewers on an important feature of the Cape Town harbor. The museum houses multiple art galleries that display a wide range of mediums, including visual art, fashion, photography, and more. The museum works to source and collaborate with African artists to fill their galleries, providing visitors the opportunity to learn more about the contemporary expressions of creatives across the continent. All of these factors shape the Zeitz Museum into a building which speaks for itself.
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