“The world has never seen anything like it.” A look of satisfaction at a job well done was written on the faces of those individuals who were a driving force in the creation of the MMM Corones, as the blue Moessmer Loden fabric that artistically cloaked the entrance was cast aside during this morning’s grand opening.
Construction of the sixth and final Reinhold Messner Museum for Alpine Mountaineering took nearly two years. “The museum’s development was, without a doubt, a challenge… not only for us, but for each and every company involved in the construction, the majority of which are based in South Tyrol.
But with grit, decisiveness, ample motivation and the fantastic contributions of all those involved, this masterful achievement has been realised,” summarised Skirama’s President Matthias Prugger during his opening speech before an audience of many invited guests.
The MMM Corones, which shall be devoted to A lpinism’s supreme discipline, was planned by star architect Zaha Hadid, who is famous for powerful, curving forms and elongated structures that avoid right angles. It is for this reason that concrete is the MMM Corones’ dominant construction material, despite creating geometric obstacles that challenged the realm of known possibilities.
Patrik Schumacher, who also addressed the guests, received a personal tour of the exhibition from Reinhold Messner himself. The complexity of the project was the source of many sleepless nights and taxed minds, not to mention the logistical hardships of construction. After all, many parts had to be transported by lorry to the construction site at 2,275 m, where work was often delayed by the adverse mountain conditions.
“All of our efforts have been rewarded. Today, we stand before something exceptional. Our vision has become reality. Plan de Corones has now been transformed from a winter ski haven to a year-round attraction,” said Prugger. “The more than three-million euro investment was 100% funded by the Plan de Corones cable-car operators themselves. Source by MMM Corones.
A composition of fluid, interconnected volumes, the 1000 sq. m. MMM Corones design is carved within the mountain and informed by the geology and topography of its context. A sharp glass canopy, like a fragment of glacial ice, rises from the rock to mark and protect the museum’s entrance.
A cascading ramp connects the exhibition spaces and creates dynamic volumes of circulation throughout three levels of temporary exhibitions, presentation areas and a small auditorium, enabling the museum to showcase its permanent exhibition together with objects, images and tools from Messner’s archive. MMM Corones will offer 240-degree views across expansive mountain landscapes that include the Zillertal Alps, the Dolomites and the Marmolada glacier.
Glazed apertures and viewing balcony are specifi cally oriented to ensure the museum’s interiors are primarily naturally lit while also maintaining the design’s labyrinthine trajectory within the mountain; incorporating and expressing the power of the natural tectonic system it is a part of. By immersing the built spaces inside the mountain, the museum maintains an almost constant internal temperature. Source by Zaha Hadid Architects.
Location: South Tyrol, Italy
Architects: Zaha Hadid Architects
Project Architect: Cornelius Schlotthauer
Project Team: Cornelius Schlotthauer, Peter Irmscher
Execution Team: Peter Irmscher, Markus Planteu, Claudia Wulf
Structural Engineer: IPM
Mechanical Engineer + Fire Protection: Jud & Partner
Electrical Engineer: Studio GM
Client: Skirama Kronplatz, Plan de Corones
Area: 1,000 m2
Year: 2015
Photographs: Wisthaler via Wallpaper
