Design Museum Holon, Ron Arad

Online, March 10, 2010 (Newswire.com) - March 10, 2010 -- Following four years ofconstruction, Design Museum Holon has announced January 31st 2010 as the greatly anticipated
inauguration date of the awardwinning building by Ron Arad Architects. Constructed of five sinuous bands of varying shades of COR-TEN (weathered steel), Design Museum Holon is Arad's first architectural project of this scale and the pinnacle of a sixteen-year urban regeneration programme, a process which is transforming the city of Holon, central Israel, into a global epicentre for culture and education.

Design Museum Holon's mission is to explore the impact of design and the relationship of design to urban spaces and every day life. The museum is committed to pioneering a creative arena for the exploration and examination of design principles and interpretations.

Design Museum Holon, Ron Arad
As a leading hub for innovation in the field of design within Israel and the world it will strive to foster international dialogue, highlighting the importance of quality design and its relevance to our lives.

Ron Arad comments: "Holon is a city which is re-inventing itself culturally, with ambitious plans that are investing a lot into culture. The concept of this museum in the Middle Eastern sun is just one instance. The city was brave enough to give Ron Arad Architects the design task and I hope that it is received well by the Municipality and the public.'

The project was initiated by Holon's Mayor, Mr. Motti Sasson and Managing Director, Ms. Hana Hertsman who invited Ron Arad to create an iconic building, which would provide visitors with an immersive design

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Hana Hertsman, comments: "Design Museum Holon not only highlights the role of design and culture in Holon's day-to-day life, but also the city's influence globally; I believe it will be a beacon within Israel and far beyond." The new museum joins Holon's Mediatheque, a cultural centre which includes the National Cartoon Museum, repertoire theatre with original productions, cinematheque, material library and public library.

The design museum building will be inaugurated with a gala event six weeks prior to the opening of the first exhibition to allow attendees and visitors an opportunity to experience the building's architecture as the original design object of the museum.

The annual program will showcase site-specific exhibitions by invited international curators as well as travelling exhibitions. In addition an interactive archive with digital components will be developed for the theoretical and practical research of design as well as a historical Israeli collection. This will lay the foundation for Design Museum Holon's permanent collection which will be unveiled in five to seven years.Ron Arad's design for the museum, demonstrates an extremely sculptural
approach, combining ingenuous and playful functionality with highly visual design. In reference to his approach he says: "Every project is unique; each one invites a different response. When we started working on Design Museum Holon, it was like a white canvas, things developed and a direction was formed. We
created a hierarchy of outdoor spaces so you walk in under the building into a semi-covered yard, where you have a choice to take the air-conditioned route or one exposed to the elements. The building envelope is not just a pretty space; it's also a structure."

EDITOR'S NOTES:
More about Design Museum Holon: Design Museum Holon accommodates
two primary galleries and a number of diverse alternative exhibition and education spaces in-between. The Upper Gallery (500m²) celebrates the abundance of natural light in Israel and the qualities it can bring to the display of
three-dimensional objects, while allowing curatorial flexibility by modulating light levels. The smaller, Lower Gallery, (250m²) is taller inside but offers a more intimate, personal relationship between the visitor and the object on display. Opening Exhibition, 4th March 2010 (private view 3rd March): The State of
Things: Design and the 21st Century, will present more than 100 products that collectively tell the story of the practice, consumption, and the cultural impact of
contemporary product design. In its opening exhibition Design Museum Holon is hosting leading international curators including Dr. Barbara J. Bloemink (Head Curator), Ms. Julie Lasky, Mr. Aric Chen and Mr. Garth Walker. Ranging from ordinary household items such as plastic chairs and printed wallpaper to lifeenhancing
and life-saving technologies, such as a jewel-like hearing aid and an efficient water filtration device, the objects in the exhibition will reveal the same ingenuity and poetry evident in the Ron Arad building that will house them. In conjunction with the museum's opening, the city of Holon will be celebrating its
seventieth year and will feature design concepts in its many galleries, outdoor exhibition spaces and special events.
The museum's exhibition program has been developed by Ms Galit Gaon, Creative Director, with the guidance of the museum's exhibition committee. Galit Gaon, Creative Director, comments: "The city of Holon is part of a young
country, putting substantial investment towards an innovative cultural body. I welcome the route the city has taken to support design, education and community, choosing design as a means of expression and action for Holon. We are not seeking to describe the difference between our new Design Museum and
others around the world but to sharpen a unique point of view which will enable our visitors to experience different aspects of design methodology." Asa Bruno, Supervising Architect, comments: "Working together from such an
early stage of development has enabled us to find answers to the question of the relationship between curatorial space and public circulation. We were able to capitalise on the potential space between the curves of the bands so that all the
surfaces around the galleries and public facilities would fit comfortably in and in many cases, created bonus galleries. The bands form a visual key that carries
visitors into the building, through it and then out; the bands instantly become a string that ties the whole building together inside and out.''

Ron Arad: Since his career began in 1981, Ron Arad has exhibited at many major museums and galleries throughout the world. 2009 has been a significant year for Arad with the completion of Design Museum Holon, an unprecedented turn out to his retrospective at Centre Pompidou in Paris and an exhibition in July at MoMA New York, which moved to the Barbican Centre in London and then to
the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam. Awards: Conde Nast Traveller Innovation and Design Award for Culture, May 2009.