15/12 2016

A closer look inside the KMSKA New Museum

The renovation and extension of the Royal Museum of Fine Arts in Antwerp (KMSKA) led by Dikkie Scipio is going on and architects, restoration experts, art historians are ​cooperating to complete the New Museum spaces before the official opening in 2019.

A photographic walk by Karin Borghouts through the former patios of the museum reveals the concealed layers of previous configurations and accommodates the new double height staircase structure, preserved thanks to wooden cases until the completion of the new roof.

Verticality is one of the main characteristics of the New Museum as well as the aim to connect the new exhibition areas while blending them into the historical heart of KMSKA.

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Last summer the installation of the copper roof has started along with the restoration of the internal stucco decorations. New ceilings appeared in the rooms of the bel-etagé, showing the original height of the space. Multiple layers were discovered following the demolition of the most recent ceiling dated 1970s, including another ceiling from 1920s.

​The New Museum will feature a new ​roof composed by custom-made prefab modules, which have been designed to get the right amount and spread of daylight in the top floor exhibition hall.
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