Vitra Schaudepot

Vitra Schaudepot. Opened in 2016 on the renowned Vitra Campus in Weil am Rhein, this permanent exhibition building was designed by the acclaimed Swiss architecture firm Herzog & de Meuron to house the core collection of the Vitra Design Museum. The Schaudepot serves as a publicly accessible archive and display space, consolidating and presenting over 400 key objects from the museum's vast holdings of modern furniture design. Its creation marked a significant shift in museological practice for the institution, making its foundational collection permanently visible for the first time.

History and Architecture

The project was initiated to provide a dedicated, climate-controlled home for the most important pieces from the Vitra Design Museum collection, which was founded by company chairman Rolf Fehlbaum. The building, completed in 2016, is situated near other architectural landmarks on the campus, including works by Frank Gehry, Zaha Hadid, and Tadao Ando. Herzog & de Meuron conceived the Schaudepot as a monolithic, warehouse-like structure with a distinctive facade of sandblasted concrete bricks, creating a textured, almost archaeological appearance. The interior is organized with deliberate simplicity, featuring a high, open volume with exposed concrete surfaces and a gridded ceiling system of linear lights, designed to focus attention solely on the exhibited objects. This architectural approach creates a stark, neutral backdrop that contrasts with the more sculptural forms of neighboring buildings like Gehry’s Vitra Design Museum main building.

Collection and Exhibitions

The permanent exhibition, titled "A History of Seating: 1800 to Today," presents a chronological survey of over 200 chairs and other seating furniture, forming the heart of the collection. It features seminal works by iconic designers such as Charles and Ray Eames, Verner Panton, Alvar Aalto, Gerrit Rietveld, and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. The display is supplemented by thematic showcases from the museum's archives, including lighting, prototypes, and models from figures like George Nelson and Alexander Girard. Alongside this core presentation, the ground floor of the Schaudepot hosts a program of temporary exhibitions that explore specific themes, designers, or movements in greater depth, often drawing from the museum's extensive research and collection resources. These exhibitions have covered diverse topics, from the work of Eileen Gray to the history of the Bauhaus.

Significance and Impact

The Vitra Schaudepot has redefined public access to design heritage, transforming a previously private study collection into a permanent public resource. It is considered a vital research center for scholars and design professionals, providing an unparalleled overview of the evolution of industrial furniture design. The building and its curatorial philosophy have influenced contemporary museum practice, emphasizing transparency and the educational value of viewing a collection *in toto*. Its presence on the Vitra Campus further solidifies the site's international reputation as a unique confluence of architecture, design, and corporate culture, attracting visitors from the global design community and contributing to the cultural landscape of the EuroAirport Basel Mulhouse Freiburg region.

Visitor Information

The Schaudepot is located on the Vitra Campus in Weil am Rhein, easily accessible from Basel, Mulhouse, and Freiburg im Breisgau. The campus is served by local bus lines from Basel SBB station. Admission is covered by the general campus ticket, which also includes access to the Vitra Design Museum gallery building, the Vitra Haus, and architectural tours. The site features a museum shop and the nearby Vitra Campus offers dining options. Opening hours are typically Tuesday to Sunday, with extended hours in the summer season.

Gallery

File:Vitra Schaudepot Interior 2016.jpg|Interior view of the main exhibition hall showing the "History of Seating" display. File:Vitra Campus Aerial.jpg|Aerial view of the Vitra Campus with the Schaudepot (center) among buildings by Frank Gehry and Zaha Hadid. File:Schaudepot Facade Detail.jpg|Detail of the textured, sandblasted brick facade designed by Herzog & de Meuron.

Category:Design museums in Germany Category:Museums in Baden-Württemberg Category:Buildings and structures completed in 2016