The Netherlands New Biesbosch Museum Goes Green.

The Biesbosch Museum in Werkendam, The Netherlands, is a contemporary art museum dedicated to the documentation of the people and the land in the area. The museum rotates art and photography exhibitions to attract visitors and residents to its cultural events and programs. Recently the Biesbosch Museum underwent an eight-month renovation project to create a contemporary new eco-friendly facade that could easily land them an architectural award.

Led by Studio Marco Vermeulen, the Biesbosch museum sports a new wing that accommodates a restaurant and a display area for contemporary art. Studio Joyce Langezaal reinvented the permanent exhibition space where the historical exhibitions are housed. This area also features a library, a multipurpose theater, reception area and museum shop.

The architects decided to keep the hexagonal shape of the original buildings, whose extensive windows look out over the water from the man-made island. A harmonious exterior was created by covering the volume of the buildings in grass creating a living roof, providing not only a lovely aesthetic but also making it energy efficient.

“The earthworks on the northwestern side and the green roof serve as additional insulation and a heat buffer,” the architects said. “On cold days, a biomass stove maintains the building’s temperature, while in warmer months, water from the river flows through the same piping to cool the museum.”

A highlight of the landscaping is a pathway that leads visitors on hiking trails, offering fantastic views of the pyramid structures, across the green land.