Libeskind design revealed for Modern Art Center

The gallery will be dedicated to the exhibition of work from the 1960s to the present by Lithuanian artists. Viktoras Butkus and Danguolė Butkienė are the co-founders of the non-profit Modern Art Center (MMC) in Vilnius. “We wanted to create a museum for the people of Lithuania, and also give this collection a home and an international audience. This collection is about the cultural legacy of the country,” said Viktoras Butkus. “Libeskind’s work is expressive, innovative, and, most importantly, has the power to tell the story of the past while connecting it to the future of the city,” he added.

The building of the Modern Art Center has been conceived as a “cultural gateway” connecting the 18th century grid to the mediaeval walled city. The concept is inspired by the historic gates of the city and references the local architecture, both in form and materials. Two volumetric forms intertwine to create a structure that flows between the inside and outside. The rectilinear exterior façade is clad in luminous, crisp white concrete that references the local materials of the city. The interior courtyard cuts through the entire form and features a staircase that leads to a public planted-roof and sculpture garden that flows directly onto the piazza at street-level.

The extraction of the geometric volume at the core of the structure allowed the architects to open-up the entire building, creating floor-to-ceiling glazing that will flood the interior galleries with natural light. The southern facing exposures will be regulated by a 5m cantilever that will provide natural shade during the warmest summer months.

As visitors approach from the north, they enter though a three-storey (10m in height) glazed entrance into a double-height, sunlight filled lobby. The galleries are connected by means of an open floor plan that will include 1,000 sqm of exhibition space dedicated to both permanent and temporary exhibitions.

“The Modern Art Center not only creates a home for this extraordinary collection, but the design connects the galleries to the street and the urban fabric—giving the citizens of Vilnius a new cultural centre infused with public space,” explained Daniel Libeskind.

The museum will also include a café, a bookstore, educational areas, an auditorium, as well as storage and administrative space. Construction work is to begin in 2017, with its completion scheduled for early 2019.