The Jury's visit to the Hermitage
During my presentation I used two models to explain the
existing state and the re-con of the hermitage.
The Hermitage Current Condition - Long Enfilades which dictate the visitors trajectory.
Fragmented Hermitage 1 - Choices of movement (view from above)
Fragmented 2
The first model was a perspective model emphasising the
linearity of the Hermitage museum and how the experience of the former palace
building has been pre-determined by the Architect and the curator. There is one
entrance and one exit which does not give the visitor much freedom during his
visit.
The second model was an attempt to rearrange the rooms
within the hermitage on a more City like grid. This gives the visitor much more
freedom to make choices and wonder where - or derive. The idea of crossroads,
dead-ends, small side streets have been loosely implemented in the model.
The jury questioned the relationship of my grid-city with
the city of St. Petersburg and why I decided to use US cities as precedent. The
main reason for this was order, clarity and the possibility to create cross
roads. But I think that the layout should be much more defined.
SUGGESTIONS:
The jury suggested that I start thinking more about
literal city elements and how they
can be used in the project. For example; Large Halls, Courtyards, Underground
networks, Alley-ways, Dead-Ends Parks, High Streets, Empty Buildings. The City as does the museum triggers an array
of emotions. I should begin to look at how these experiences can be achieved and
how they can translate from the museum into the city and visa versa - Intimacy
with art, Grandeur of art, Hidden art, Interactive art
Since I reorganised the museum it was important to think
about the Collection and the ways in
which it can be organised; Original Regional Location, Type of art, Size, Chronology
of Collection, Chronology of production, Fragility, Popularity.
Maria suggested create scenarios / or stories to bring in
the next stages of the hermitage. The hermitage has seen a series of leadership
throughout Russian History...
What if the collection was stolen?, Live in the museum
for 3 years to see all the collection, Revolution - back to Communism?
Anarchy?, Squatters / Homeless shelter?
Charles Compare Movie Russian Arc - filmed in one
continuous shot with New City-Hermitage and how it could be filmed - this is an
interesting idea. The Russian arc was filmed in one continuous shot to
emphasise the singularity of the trajectory throughout the museum. If the
museum was fragmented with endless routes the film could potentially be in stop
motion, or something that represents this.
The Hermitage, like many large museums has created a series of routes
for people that have designated a limited amount of time. These include the
highlights, the half day route, The 3 day route etc. An interesting thought
would be how to re-invent these. What about the 3 year route to see everything?
Maybe one of the reasons it should be redesigned is in order to make these
trips easier? quicker? more enjoyable? Consume more art in less time?
Consume art while visiting the city?
Rather than the Hermitage being the location which houses the art it
could become a hotel, storage facility, and the city could then become the
museum - An interesting idea would be to literally take the exhibitions and
place then within the fabric of the city so that consumption of art would take
place simultaneously with touring St. Petersburg. Town halls could house Large pieces
of art whilst small side street shops could contain intricate ornaments in
their shop windows. Different bus lines could be different collections. These
are all thoughts but could be an interesting way of how we could use the actual
city as a museum.
Currently working on Updated model
