Located in the heart of medieval Vienna, the rooms housing the Hummel
Art gallery were originally drinking halls from the 14th century. The
renovation brought to light a closed off doorway to an area which was at
one time outdoors. An adjacent former carriage house in the backyard
also became part of the art gallery.
A new white concrete floor keeps with the character of the space and
transitions to the new areas via new steps from the rediscovered
doorway.
The corridor and the former carriage house have a contrasting oak plank
floor, creating a different mood from the main gallery and and allowing
for different types of artwork.
The corridor was closed off to the exterior with a low concrete
wall covered from the exterior with frameless glass. The half
transparent-half opaque glass acts in part as a mirror, reflecting
elements of the courtyard while leaving an opening to peak into the
gallery. The mixture of opacity and transparency in the corridor acts
like a constantly changing image, leaving the perception of a temporary
object despite its permanence.