Did you know that most museums exhibit only a small part of the artworks they own and store? 90 percent of the artworks are often secured in storage rooms and remain “hidden” from enthusiasts for decades. To change that, safe and climatically sound conditions had to be created for the more than 150,000 art objects in the Boijmans van Beuningen depot.
A high degree of burglar resistance and fire resistance for the various storage areas was an important requirement and therefore decisive in the decision to use Silka calcium silicate blocks for the construction of the walls of the eleven different depots as well as all non-load-bearing interior walls.
Silka for the best indoor climate
When choosing Silka calcium silicate blocks, however, their heat-retaining and moisture-regulating properties played a key role. To ensure that the 150,000 works of art - including pottery, paintings and photographs - can be adequately preserved in terms of temperature, humidity and light, eleven different storage rooms with five different climatic conditions were built for this purpose. Sand-lime brick is an excellent building material for this purpose. Thanks to its breathable properties, it was easy to create five different climatic conditions, one for each type of art and taking into account human influences. For example, people with wet clothes can enter, and body heat can cause temperature fluctuations inside. The combination of art storage and a building that is open to the public is always something very special, but with Silka, it is easy to reconcile.
About Depot Boijmans van Beuningen
In 2021, Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen will open right next to the famous Boijmans van Beuningen Museum in Rotterdam. The museum's entire collection – a world first – will be open to the public. At 39.5 meters, the design by MVRDV architect Winy Maas just about reaches the height of the museum tower; the facade reflects the surrounding museum park. The roof garden, which is accessible free of charge, offers visitors a magnificent panoramic view of the city. All indications are that the mirrored building will become a new icon for Rotterdam. 99 percent of the building is open to the public (except for the security control room).