Museum of the World ③ A Sanctuary of Art Crafted from Light: The Beyeler Foundation Museum, Switzerland

Riehen, a peaceful rural village in Basel, Switzerland. It is home to the Fondation Beyeler, widely regarded as one of the world’s most beautiful exhibition spaces. Where the lush greenery of the forest meets a pond dotted with water lilies and Renzo Piano’s transparent architecture, this place offers a unique experience where appreciating art becomes a form of meditation.

Hildy and Ernst Beyeler: Partners United by Art

The Fondation Beyeler was founded by Ernst Beyeler, one of the 20th century’s greatest art dealers and a legendary collector, and his lifelong partner and collaborator, Hildy.

Whilst studying economics and art history at the University of Basel, Ernst discovered his passion for art whilst working in a second-hand bookshop. In 1948, he and Hildy opened their own art gallery on Bäumleingasse in Basel. Hildy was Ernst’s most astute critic and a partner who shared his discerning eye; the couple earned the deep trust of the great masters, going so far as to conduct 26 direct transactions with Picasso.

Ernst was also one of the co-founders of ‘Art Basel’, now recognised as the world’s leading art fair. Rather than resting on his commercial success, he longed for the masterpieces he had collected over some 50 years to be presented to the public as a single ‘organism’, rather than being scattered.

They wanted the museum to be not merely a space for ‘displaying’ artworks, but a ‘sanctuary’ where the works could breathe in natural light and visitors could share in that breath.

Infusing high-tech architecture with lyricism: Renzo Piano

Renzo Piano, who was commissioned to design the building, created a space where ‘light’ takes centre stage, in accordance with the Beyerers’ wishes.

Renzo Piano, an Italian architect, is a Pritzker Prize laureate and a master who transformed the course of modern architecture. Having heralded the dawn of high-tech architecture with the ‘Centre Pompidou’ in Paris, he demonstrated the perfect fusion of technology and nature in the Beyeler Foundation Museum. He views a building as both a precision machine and an organism, and regards the control of ‘light’ in particular as a core element of architecture. As can be seen in his iconic works, such as ‘The Shard’ in London and the ‘Whitney Museum of American Art’ in New York, he strives for architecture that harmonises with the city and nature through transparency and lightness.

The most striking feature is the vast glass roof covering the entire building. The sophisticated shading system designed by Renzo Piano regulates the amount of natural light entering the interior according to the external weather and the position of the sun, protecting the artworks whilst rendering them in their most natural colours. Furthermore, the building’s ends are finished with floor-to-ceiling glass, creating the illusion that the external water lily pond and garden extend into the exhibition spaces. The experience of viewing a pond with real water lilies in bloom whilst standing before Monet’s *Water Lilies* series is made possible solely by Renzo Piano’s design.

The point where nature and art intersect

At the Beyeler Foundation, the distinction between ‘inside’ and ‘outside’ is meaningless.

• The Lily Pond: The pond, which abuts the building’s foundations, completes Renzo Piano’s horizontal architectural language. Light reflected off the water passes through the glass roof and back into the interior, creating a dreamlike atmosphere.
• Sculpture Garden: In the vast Berower Park surrounding the museum, sculptures by artists such as Alexander Calder and Ellsworth Kelly are placed as if they were part of the natural landscape, enhancing the pleasure of a stroll.

[Travel Info]

• Location: Baselstrasse 101, CH-4125 Riehen/Basel, Switzerland
• Architect: Renzo Piano
• Features: Opened in 1997; one of the most visited Swiss art museums in the world
• Don’t miss the peaceful village scenery that greets you from the moment you arrive by tram from Basel city centre. After visiting the museum, a meal at one of the restaurants in the Berower Park is the perfect way to round off your luxury art tour.