Dutch museum Art Pavilion M floats on the water

A series of floating circles make up Art Pavilion M – a new museum designed by Studio Ossidiana for the Dutch city of Almere.

The Rotterdam architecture firm envisioned the art centre as a sequence of three experiences – the Port, the Stage and the Observatory. Visitors enter via the ring-shaped walkway, arrive at the museum’s outdoor terrace (which can be moved around to host events and performances) and then enjoy the art collection in the polycarbonate shell of the central building.

Art Pavilion M is located in Almere, a Dutch city in the Flevoland province, created by reclaiming land from the Zuider inner sea in the 1920s. Weerwater, where the museum floats, is an artificial lake excavated for the project.

The art museum is rooted in its surroundings, with the polycarbonate walls filtering the natural light and reflections from the water and local shells used as a roofing material and for terrazzo counters inside. Studio Ossidiana has also situated the museum’s windows to align with the winter and summer solstice.

Art Pavilion M is currently hosting NaturAlly; Wild Futures – an exhibition of international artworks exploring the future of nature.