Kunstmuseum Basel

"Elegance does not consist in putting on a new dress." -Coco Chanel

The birthplace for Art Basel is Basel, Switzerland; however, the inspirational place for the legendary event is Kunstmuseum Basel, the largest and most important public art collection in Switzerland. Throughout my years of passing through Basel, I never paid a proper visit to Kunstmuseum. Its significance and beauty were started in 1661, and the collection continuously grew, spanning from the 15th century to the present.

The museum not only possesses a beautiful art collection, but also the building is a subtle timeless public space where one may consider it as a backdrop of stylish fashion shoots. I am in love with the simplistic elegant architectural style, which is not overtly minimal. Passing through the simple elegant arrival, I rediscovered the importance of a well-organized and easily directed art museum's spatial design. Built in 1936, the building was solely created for the collection by the architects Rudolf Christ and Paul Bonatz. Over the past few years, it has been thoroughly refurbished.

A simple regional stone façade unfolds to provide an inner courtyard, an entryway into the museum. The court is shared with an intimate and modern lounge. Tall and lean graceful windows perform well with its scale. Not only a visual garnish, the main stairs act as a main core of the building where everyone walks up while calming their anticipating excitements before faced with great pieces of art. The risers are low and the treads are generous, making one ease fastidious nerves.

I enjoyed the permanent collections and how it was presented in this simple elegant space: tall like the proud regional landscapes.