Joel Sanders Architect

JSA recently designed a family of display components for the permanent collection of the newly renovated Stockholm Nationalmuseum. The project presented two overlapping challenges:  How to design a standardized, yet flexible display apparatus capable of cross-pollinating works of art and design that represent different mediums, nationalities, and historical epochs in a way that respects the architectural integrity of the interiors of the original 1866 building.

JSA worked closely with museum curators to create a standardized family of display components including walls, platforms, labels, pedestals, and glass cases. The furnishings use a contemporary design vocabulary that expresses the museum’s progressive institutional identity while remaining compatible with its richly-appointed 19th century interiors. The materials, proportions and colors of these new display elements aim to harmonize with the existing building while distinguishing between old and new. The wall and platform labels are calibrated to provide space for brief bi-lingual texts without competing with the art works themselves. This kit-of-parts can be adapted to meet the specific characteristics of the museum’s three exhibition room types: Galleries, Cabinets, and Pillar Halls.