Deep furrows run through the narrow Sitter Valley to allow traffic to flow by the city of St. Gallen, including Rorschacher Strasse, which leads to Lake Constance.
Since 2016, the St. Gallen Natural History Museum has occupied a site at the junction with the motorway overpass, in the immediate vicinity of the historicist St. Maria parish church, built in 1917, and the botanical garden with greenhouses dating from 1945. A successful competition entry in 2009 laid the foundation for the new ensemble of the St. Gallen Natural History Museum.
With its elongated, five nave volume and striking, functionally expressive roof form, the project enters into a formal dialogue with both neighbouring buildings and asserts itself as a contemporary extension. Aligned with the axis of the church complex, the museum asserts itself as a visual reference and civic landmark along the street. The urban furrows of the valley are echoed in the fine fluting of the monolithic concrete structure. Targeted undulations in the volume create natural outdoor spaces and access to the various uses. The cantilevered structure, which is used as a bus stop, leads visitors into a compact entrance hall. From here, a short staircase leads to the spacious foyer, which serves as a central distribution area providing access to all museum areas and the adjoining garden. The exhibition rooms, which are offset by half a storey and lit from above, create exciting spatial relationships, provide orientation points, and ensure clear visitor guidance.
