M9, the Museum of the XXth Century signed by the architecture studio Sauerbruch Hutton is located in the old city-centre of Mestre, the main gateway to Venezia.
The project consists of two new buildings, one large and one small, the restoration of a former convent and two renovated small buildings (le Cavallerizze), each historically significant. All together, they frame a new public square and open up a diagonal pedestrian link through the courtyard of the 16th-century Convento delle Grazie.
Engineering and architecture synergistically work together to create a sustainable, high-performance building whose primary aim is to enhance the use of public space. The main structure is a concrete shell that provides a continuous support to the post-tensioned concrete thin-slabs that span 12 m. The concrete shell touches ground at only two points, the building appears to float above the ground. The glazed storefront provides entrances to an abundance of free-access facilities like the media library, the 200 seat auditorium, the museum shop and the café.
An integrated approach led the design team to solutions that maximized the value concrete brought to the project, concrete becoming a leitmotiv for the M9 Museum. Thermal mass is the leading energy concept. Energy consumption is reduced through the high thermal storage capacity provided by the concrete mass itself and the distribution of concrete walls around the building’s perimeter. The building is certified LEED Gold.
A grand, scenic staircase leads to the upper galleries and event spaces. The permanent exhibition occupies two ‘black box’ floors, while temporary exhibitions are housed in a naturally lit ‘white box’ on the top floor. A meticulous approach to details and careful attention to lighting and acoustics create an extremely efficient spacious, column-free open gallery where natural light coming from the shed roof shed prevails.
Relying on the brilliance of its polychromatic ceramic façade, the project strives to create a new identity for the city.
By synchronizing objectives in terms of energy efficiency, structural performance, constructability, materials research, and systems maintenance, M9, the Museum of the XXth Century, is a unique icon.

PROJECT TEAM
Architect: Sauerbruch Hutton
Integrated design ( Architectural, structural & MEPF): SCE Project
Construction Management: SCE Project

Consultants:
MEP design: HEG Hospital Engineering Group / Studio tecnico Giorgio Destefani
Safety & Security: GAe Engineering

Picture credits: Cristiano Bendinelli ©SCE Project / Alessandra Chemollo © Polymnia Venezia