Stedelijk Museum Schiedam by MVRDV

Photo: Daria Scagliola

What was the chapel to an 18th century poorhouse has been transformed by MVRDV. The Sint Jacobs Gasthuis, designed by Jan Giudici and completed in 1787, is a U-shaped neoclassical building with a chapel at its centre, connecting the two wings – one for women, one for men.

After the residents were moved into modern accommodation, in 1940 the municipal museum for modern art took over the building. Between 2003 and 2006 the building underwent a major restoration. The number of gallery spaces was increased from four to eleven and the main entrance was relocated in the basement, but as a result the reception area proved difficult to find.

MVRDV’s design has united a number of functions – cloakroom, shop, cafe counter and display – while keeping the space as open as possible. The bright red of the shelves was chosen for its warmth and to make a clear separation between the old and the new, while respecting the former sacral function of the space.

Since the chapel is a listed monument the structure could not be altered, so the shelving frames the historic elements of windows, piers, pulpit and organ. The small distances left between the shelving and these elements mediates between the perfectly level new intervention and the less-than-perpendicular historical structure.

Perforations in the backs of the shelves serve several purposes. They prevent dampness accumulating on the walls, play an acoustic role and in places highlight products through the use of built-in LED armatures.

Due to its light construction the shelving can be removed at any time, leaving no trace on the building.

Project team

Architect: MVRDV; structural engineer: ABT; chandelier: Coors Interior; lighting: Viabizzuno.

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