Axiom Atelier · architecture for museums · Basel, CH

Axiom
Atelier

A museum is an argument about light. We make the argument in section, stroke by stroke — then we build it.

Index of sheets — four built works
A-101Lantern Hall, Aarhuslong section
A-102The Quiet Vault, Colognecross section
A-103Aperture Pavilion, Kanazawaaxonometric
A-104Noon Wing, Portolong section
A-900The practicetitle block
G-001How this site was drawnguide
A-101 A-102 A-103 A-104 KEY ELEVATION · NTS
sheetA-000
titleCover & index of drawings
projectFour built works
scaleNTS
date2026·07
drawnEB
checkedYO
General note — applies to all sheets

We begin every commission with a section, drawn by hand, before we accept the fee. If the light fails in one drawing, it will fail for a hundred years.

Museum of Glass · Aarhus, DK · completed 2018

Lantern Hall

9.50 62.00 ±0.00 +9.50 NORTH LANTERN, TYP. LONG SECTION AA · 1:200
sheetA-101
titleLantern Hall — long section AA
scale1:200 @ A1
date2018·05
drawnEB
checkedYO
Museum of Sacral Art · Cologne, DE · completed 2020

The Quiet Vault

±0.00 −7.50 ENTRY SLOT 21.40 CROSS SECTION BB · 1:100
sheetA-102
titleThe Quiet Vault — cross section BB
scale1:100 @ A1
date2020·11
drawnMF
checkedEB
Sky gallery · Kanazawa, JP · completed 2022

Aperture Pavilion

9.00 9.00 OCULUS Ø 2.40 DOOR AXONOMETRIC · 1:100
sheetA-103
titleAperture Pavilion — axonometric
scale1:100 @ A1
date2022·02
drawnYO
checkedMF
Civic Museum extension · Porto, PT · completed 2024

Noon Wing

21 JUN · 62° 21 DEC · 18° 16.50 16.50 16.50 16.50 +8.20 LONG SECTION CC · 1:200
sheetA-104
titleNoon Wing — long section CC
scale1:200 @ A1
date2024·06
drawnEB
checkedYO
Axiom Atelier · Rebgasse 21, 4058 Basel

The Practice

Eleven people. Museums, and almost nothing else.

Founded in 2009, Axiom Atelier works exclusively for cultural institutions. We hold every commission to the same test: the building must make one spatial argument, and the argument must survive being drawn at 1:200 in a single section. Current work includes a photography archive in Ghent (2027) and a lakeside kunsthalle in Lugano (2028).

Begin with a section Send us your site and your collection.
We answer with a drawing, not a deck.
  • E. Brandtpartner · design
  • Y. Okabepartner · technical
  • M. Ferreirapartner · daylight
  • + eight architectsBasel
Selected honours
EU Mies Award, shortlist — Noon Wing, 2025
BDA Grand Prize — The Quiet Vault, 2021
Correspondence
commissions@axiomatelier.ch
+41 61 555 02 09