What if 30 years ago the Munich architect Stephan Braunfels hadn’t won the competition for the Pinakothek der Moderne, but rather the Japanese Arata Isozaki? In any case, its large round building, intended as a “monument of our time”, would have been a whole lot more extravagant, and one can now ask oneself: How would that have affected the area, the city, the exhibitions, the visitors? And would it perhaps even have become the better museum? These are purely speculative considerations that lead you into the realm of fantasy, imagination and maybe also nostalgia. There are no concrete answers. And yet, there is no harm in asking yourself such questions from time to time.
At least that’s what Ella Neumaier thought, who is organizing the current exhibition “Twenty, what now? The Pinakothek der Moderne from the competition to today” curated. The reason for this is the twentieth birthday of the museum, which was opened on September 16, 2002 by the Bavarian Prime Minister Edmund Stoiber. But that was not at all a matter of course. Originally, extension buildings of the LMU and the TU Munich were planned on the site where the Turkish barracks used to stand and which had served as a parking lot for years. But then Minister of Education Hans Zehetmair convinced the city to build a modern museum, which had been discussed for some time. There was a competition, and then, for financial reasons, everything was soon open again. It was only when private donations of more than 13 million euros had been collected that the Free State of Bavaria assumed the financing costs and released the site.
All of this can be experienced again in a nutshell in the exhibition. But only marginally, because the focus is on the competition at that time, in which there were 167 entries. These are represented by 19 design models that have been dormant in the collection of the TU’s Architecture Museum for many years. In addition to Braunfels and Isozaki, there are a number of other well-known names such as Andreas Meck and Herzog & de Meuron. In addition to some models, jury quotes from the competition are printed. Drawings can also be seen for seven models, and there are video interviews with architects, politicians, museum people and jury members who were involved in the competition at the time.
The second phase of construction is still pending
The fact that the drafts had been in the archive without being shown for 25 years was also an impetus for the exhibition, as the director of the Architekturmuseum Andres Lepik explains. There’s the one by Andreas Meck, for example, who “lifts” the building and makes it look almost like it’s floating. This is also an “incredibly beautiful” design, according to Lepik. Andreas Brandt conceived the museum as an “introverted gallery street” and presented Thomas Britz with a design centered around a courtyard. The winning model from Braunfels can also be seen, which reminds you: the building is not even finished! In fact, rooms for the graphic collection or offices were to be created in a second construction phase, which would shield the museum from the street. But there were again money problems, Braunfels and the Free State fell out. And because the architect sat on the plans, the construction of the Museum Brandhorst preferred.
In February 2019, the Stiftung Pinakothek der Moderne Braunfels bought the rights of use for the second construction phase. That means: the way to completion is now open, and that also plays into the exhibition. The construction process and the finished building, which was still virgin at the time, are reflected in photographic works by Jakub Moravek and Alexander Timtschenko as well as Zooey Braun. And another photo shows the alternative accommodation that was necessary in 2013 due to the renovation and correction of construction errors. So this chapter is not completely left out. However, it does not play the central role for the curator Ella Neumaier.
What is more important to her is the future. That’s why there are quotes from Hans Zehetmaier and Edmund Stoiber from the topping-out ceremony on the walls, programmatic sentences that you can comment on on the notices posted. There are video interviews with the museum’s directors and staff, who talk about topics such as mediation or the second phase of construction. And in a seating area, in addition to posters and catalogues, there are other questions waiting to be answered. What kind of museum do we want? In the end it all comes together. So not on: What would have happened? But: How should it be in the future?
Twenty, and now?, until April 24, Pinakothek der Moderne, Barer Str. 40, www.pinakothek.de