Insel Hombroich: A Unique Nature & Art Preserve in Neuss, Germany
The inception of Insel Hombroich occurred in 1982 when D�¼sseldorf, Germany real estate broker Karl Heinrich M�¼ller purchased Rosa Haus, an overgrown villa and garden built in 1816. The Rosa Haus property was bordered by the Erft River, agricultural fields and an abandoned NATO missile base. At the time, M�¼ller was looking for new ways to present his art collection and the Rosa Haus property held that potential.
MÃ?¼ller’s vision grew with support from local artists and architects. Landscape Architect Bernhard Korte set about restoring the old gardens and began planning minimalist landscapes. Sculptor Erwin Heerich’s elemental sculptures became the design base for the gallery pavilions and artists from the DÃ?¼sseldorf Academy of Art took up residence. MÃ?¼ller’s art collection had found its home and a once neglected parcel of earth became a refuge from dense industry and urban existence.
Insel Hombroich can be seen from the highway, the train and just about every other transit pathway in the area but once within its borders the visitor is transported to tranquility, thus its “island” designation. The journey begins in a dusty, gravel parking lot hidden behind tall hedges. One unpretentious building welcomes guests, serving as the museum’s entrance and bookstore. Emerging from the structure, the museumgoer wanders through a woodsy path to a steep incline fitted with stone steps. The park landscape begins to form below in a low lying water meadow and the first of Heerich’s geometric pavilions appears.
What gives Insel Hombroich its presence is the constant redefining of relationships: indoor and outdoor space, art and architecture, man-made and natural. Heerich’s pavilion designs are no exception. They are works of art, “walk-in” sculptures which impress the senses and change hour to hour with the sun. In turn, these works of art house the collection that inspired their creation.
Each of the fifteen pavilions holds selected works from MÃ?¼ller’s collection. Somehow, perhaps because the grounds of Insel Hombroich are the museum, the egress in and out of the galleries is completely barrier-free: no turnstiles, no ticket check and the buildings are mostly sunlight. It is a unique way to experience works from East Asian, Mexico, Africa, Polynesia and from an impressive list of well known artists including Klimt, Matisse, Cezanne and Rembrandt. The exhibits are as direct as possible, void of even signs and captions. The unconventional presentation without air conditioning or artificial light adds to the visitor’s perception of being in a protected haven for art and nature.
Heerich’s designs sit in their surroundings as if they shared a long history. Near the Erft River and the Rosa Haus, structures mimic the round trunks of rare trees and open to the restored villa gardens. The “Snail” building winds around an inner courtyard that provides illumination for the artwork. The Labyrinth building, the heart of the gallery displays, is a large square building barely noticed behind high hedges. It can be accessed from four different labyrinth-like gravel paths, a nod to the English gardens of Rosa Haus.
The path and approach to each pavilion is part of the Insel Hombroich experience. Gravel paths, wooden bridges and tree canopies add to the choreography of the visitor’s journey. The site invites a wide range of wildlife to enjoy between each pavilion. Herons and many other water birds shift around the meadows and fields and the Erft River banks. Wildflowers, ponds and a diverse array of trees emerge at the turn of each path and outdoor sculptures peak interest between galleries.
The museum grounds buzz with activities: talks, lectures, meetings, artists at work and recently a bee keeper. It is a dynamic community and in 1994, MÃ?¼ller enhanced the project further with the purchase of the neighboring NATO rocket base. The parcel added 32 acres to MÃ?¼ller’s vision and merged the museum’s existing design ideas with military relics.
The Raketenstation Hombroich came as abandoned bunkers, launch pads, earth berms, hangars and a control tower. It was not marked on any map as it served defense purposes and was used for storage of cruise missile warheads. In 1992 it became obsolete with the disarmament agreements between the NATO states and the former USSR.
MÃ?¼ller invited Japanese architect Tadao Ando to design the Rakentenstation’s transformation to an extension of the Insel Hombroich cultural center. Some military remnants were removed such as barbed wire fences, spotlights and other security elements. The hangars, bunkers, earth berms and control tower were all renovated and became part of the overall design.
Ando created the main building with a geometric simplicity and streamlined materials of cement, steel and glass. It sits behind the main entrance flanked by curved cement acoustical walls and a sparkling reflection pool. The parcel is dotted with more of Heerich’s pavilions and wildflower paths familiar to the Insel Hombroich. It differs that the pavilions house offices and studios, the grounds are open to public exploration but the buildings are in private use. The Raketenstation provides work space for artists, musicians, writers and scientists creating a vibrant arena for cultural exchange.
The Raketenstation Hombroich and the Museum Insel Hombroich became part of the Foundation Insel Hombroich in 1997 and today form the Kulturraum Hombroich: a community for art, culture, science and nature. Plans to further expand the cultural center are under way, fueled by the constant bubbling of ideas between the diverse participants. Regardless if the center expands, the Hombroich project stands today as an incredible example of land reuse and revival.
