Braem's Pavilion in the Middelheim Museum

"I believe that the resulting pavilion is one of my most successful realizations. The site was well chosen. Two large pines stood on the construction lot, which I respectfully avoided, creating a rounded floor plan. The resulting shape also strives for uniform lighting through curved roof surfaces that capture sunlight and spread it further into the interior. On the northern side are classic windows that provide suitable lighting for selected paintings and small niches for placing smaller sculptures. The curved wall in front of the entrance creates a gesture inviting entry. The perimeter walls express the inner strength of the object to the fullest extent."
The exhibition pavilion by Belgian architect Renaat Braem is located in the sculpture park of the Middelheim Museum in the southern suburbs of Antwerp, where visitors can freely view not only the outdoor sculptures installed in the expansive grounds but also pavilions by other Belgian architects like Stéphane Beel and Robbrecht en Daem. These pavilions house works from the museum's permanent collections that are sensitive to the weather. The Middelheim Museum was founded in 1951. Renaat Braem was also one of the initiators, who designed a provisional pavilion for the 7th Sculpture Biennale in 1963. He subsequently received a commission from the Antwerp city council to design a permanent structure for placing weather-sensitive works from the permanent museum collection. Braem, who was also a member of the museum's advisory committee, waived his fee. After a long design process and many variations, the foundation stone was laid in 1969, and the pavilion was officially opened in 1971 on the occasion of the 11th Sculpture Biennale. The project included a further phase, which did not materialize. The main aim of the design was to organically blend with the landscape and provide a diffused light for the artworks displayed inside. The roof consists of a concrete structure resembling the wings of seagulls, which captures daylight and distributes it into the interior. These sculpturally designed skylights freely transition into gargoyles.
In 2012, a new pavilion Het Huis was completed in the Middelheim sculpture park, freeing up space in Braem's pavilion, which could then undergo a complete renovation. In the same year, the Flemish government granted heritage protection to the pavilion along with six other of Braem's realizations.