The «Ghent Altarpiece» has a turbulent history. This work
of art, which is presumed to have been created by Jan
and Hubert van Eyck, featuring the «Adoration of the Mystic
Lamb» in the centre, was installed in the cathedral of
Ghent – at that time still the parish church of Sint Jans (St.
John) – as early as the 15th century. But it left this place
again and again over the following centuries. It was hidden
from the iconoclasts, saved from fires, looted first by
Napoleon and later by the Nazis, but it was found again
at the last moment in the Altaussee salt mines while still
in their hands thanks to the legendary «Monuments Men»
of the US military, before the Nazis were able to destroy
it as planned.
A masterpiece as a driving force
The restoration of this important work of art was the driving
force behind the project to create an ambitious new
visitor centre. This was all the more important given the «Flemish Masters» regional tourism project and once it became
clear that the art work needed to be exhibited better
and made more accessible. In order to achieve this, the
famous altarpiece was once again given a prominent position within its religious location – in the Sacrament Chapel
of the cathedral. While integrating the art work into
its original liturgical setting means it is showcased in an
optimal location, this also poses a considerable challenge.
Today, the precious work is protected by an air-conditioned
display case. Another problem arose from the fact
that this is an actively used place of worship that is primarily
intended for liturgical purposes and needs to be
kept open for religious believers. In parallel to this, routes
had to be created for visitors primarily interested in cultural
artefacts so that the different flows of visitors are organised
and distributed as harmoniously as possible. And
all this without compromising the historic building.
A light-footed solution
The existing crypt and part of the choir were chosen as
the centrepiece of the new visitor centre. Here visitors
are presented with information about the work of the brothers
van Eyck and many other treasures. The latest virtual
presentation techniques such as augmented reality are
used here. They also tell the story of the cathedral, which
was first consecrated in 942, and was once the centre of
one of the most powerful cities of the Middle Ages. Traces
of the original Romanesque building can still be seen in
the crypt, which is adorned with murals. The church above
it, however, grew even larger and more magnificent
over time. Around the middle of the 16th century, the
church became the cathedral it is today.
From the crypt, the route takes visitors to the highlight of the tour: the «Holy Lamb» by the van Eycks in the Sacrament Chapel. To ensure direct and barrier-free access to these areas and the various floors, Bressers Architecten from Ghent designed a glass stair tower with an integrated li! for the outer wall. Their intervention followed two important design principles: continuity and confrontation. All new interventions aim to achieve maximum integration into the existing architecture. In the case of the cathedral, this was realised by consistently repeating its architectural language and creating a «clear path» through the series of circulation areas.
Der gläserne Treppenturm mit integriertem Lift an der Aussenwand gewährt einen barrierefreien Zugang. Die Intervention wahrt dank viel Glas den Blick auf den Bestand.
Die transparenten Bereiche wurden ergänzt mit Holz, Beton und schlichten Keramikplatten. Den Bezug zum Bestand
wiederum bildet Metall.
Die hoch aufragende Glasfront des neuen Eingangs ist mitsamt dem neuen Eingang ebenfalls eine Konstruktion aus VISS, hier als Pfosten-Riegel Variante.
