Louisiana Canopy
Completed
Temporary exhibition from 25th of June until 25th of October 2015
Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Humlebæk, Denmark
90 sqm
Louisiana Museum of Modern Art
Lighting Design: Zumtobel
Construction management and supervision: Louisiana Museum of Modern Art
Francis Kéré designed the Louisiana Canopy for the 2015 exhibition AFRICA: Architecture, Culture and Identity. The Louisiana Museum of Modern Art in Denmark aimed to highlight diversity and complexity in architecture, art and culture by presenting works from practices south of the Sahara desert. Their contributions evolved around seven themes: belonging, coexistence, expanding cities, making space, rebuilding, new communities and building futures. Kéré Architecture was invited to work within the theme of making space.
As a common and powerful symbol in many West African cultures, as well as in Nordic mythologies, the great tree was used as a bridge between those two seemingly contrasting places. Just like the tree’s canopy, the design of the Louisiana Canopy provided shelter from the elements while remaining open and accessible. Taking cues from traditional architectural forms and practices from Kéré’s home in Gando, this architectural installation aimed to highlight the importance of shading and sheltering as a form of protection from overexposure to the sun, as well as an inherent space-making device for community gathering. The wooden terrain below the canopy functions as an informal seating area where visitors can gather, reflect and encounter each other in an intimate setting. The articulated ceiling structure is dramatised by a programmed high-intensity daylighting system that mimics the arc and movement of the sun throughout the day.
Both the overhanging ceiling component and the open communal gathering space underneath are characteristic elements of Kéré’s work, which is always inspired by its surrounding context. The entire installation is made of locally sourced unbarked willow branches and logs. It emphasises the remarkable ability of architecture to embody cultural narratives, traditions and aspirations.
Francis Kéré designed the Louisiana Canopy for the 2015 exhibition AFRICA: Architecture, Culture and Identity. The Louisiana Museum of Modern Art in Denmark aimed to highlight diversity and complexity in architecture, art and culture by presenting works from practices south of the Sahara desert. Their contributions evolved around seven themes: belonging, coexistence, expanding cities, making space, rebuilding, new communities and building futures. Kéré Architecture was invited to work within the theme of making space.
As a common and powerful symbol in many West African cultures, as well as in Nordic mythologies, the great tree was used as a bridge between those two seemingly contrasting places. Just like the tree’s canopy, the design of the Louisiana Canopy provided shelter from the elements while remaining open and accessible. Taking cues from traditional architectural forms and practices from Kéré’s home in Gando, this architectural installation aimed to highlight the importance of shading and sheltering as a form of protection from overexposure to the sun, as well as an inherent space-making device for community gathering. The wooden terrain below the canopy functions as an informal seating area where visitors can gather, reflect and encounter each other in an intimate setting. The articulated ceiling structure is dramatised by a programmed high-intensity daylighting system that mimics the arc and movement of the sun throughout the day.
Both the overhanging ceiling component and the open communal gathering space underneath are characteristic elements of Kéré’s work, which is always inspired by its surrounding context. The entire installation is made of locally sourced unbarked willow branches and logs. It emphasises the remarkable ability of architecture to embody cultural narratives, traditions and aspirations.
