Santa Monica-based Montalba Architects debuts design plans for the welcoming pavilion for the 2017 Bex & Arts sculpture exhibition, taking place in Bex, Switzerland from June 6, 2017 to October 15, 2017. Led by the firm’s European office in Lausanne, Switzerland, the project adds to the Swiss cultural landscape and showcases Montalba Architects’ core values and support for the fine arts. Inspired by the “Energy” theme of this year’s exhibition, the pavilion will be constructed with sustainability at the forefront, built solely with Swiss materials, and with the interior wrapping acting as an air filtration system for circulation. Founding Principal David Montalba, FAIA, SIA, notes, “It is an honour to contribute to this historic exhibition of the highest caliber amongst the international art community. This project represents Montalba Architects’ continued commitment to groundbreaking work in Europe to broaden the firm’s portfolio in new and creative ways. The bourgeoning Swiss art movement is particularly important to me, as I was raised in Switzerland and have a deep appreciation for the culture and artistic contributions.” Having been tapped for numerous residential projects with significant art collections in the past, Montalba Architects is adept at designing around standout pieces of art, and designing homes with space for personal collections to grow and unfold. The Bex & Arts pavilion represents the first foray into the art world from the firm’s Lausanne office. Recent project highlights from the Lausanne office include a shop-in-shop for Carolina Herrera within Harrods in London; The Row’s Paris showroom and a shop-in-shop within Le Bon Marché; as well as a Lausanne pied-à-terre. The pavilion at Bex & Arts incorporates an exhibition space for more than 30 artwork models, a bookstore and library, as well as a fabrication laboratory that acts as a small-scale workshop for personal digital manufacturing. Two structural shelves support the roof while the open library and exhibition space encircle the fabrication laboratory located at the center.
The “Energy” theme was determined by the event’s new artistic director Catherine Bolle Vaud, who holds a Master of Visuals Arts in the public space and is the recipient of the 2007 Grand Prize of the Vaud Foundation for Culture. Thirty artists have been invited to exhibit their sculptures in the 18 acre park, including internationally celebrated sculptors such as Vanessa Safavi, Olivier Sévère, Cat Tuong Nguyen, and Guillaume Pilet, among others.
