Many residents of Groningen know it, and also don't: the Tschumi Pavilion (Tschumipaviljoen). Also known as 'that glass thing on Hereplein'. It's 25 years old, and that should not be ignored: "Groningen, be proud of this thing!"
It is the heartfelt cry of Marinus de Vries, the man who has been the curator of the Tschumi Pavilion for twenty years. De Vries says so in a video that is shown during the anniversary celebration of the glass diorama, last Saturday in the Groninger Forum. None other than the pavilion's namesake is present: the French-Swiss architect Bernard Tschumi (71). A friendly man, fully dressed in black, with a red scarf, and in sneakers (which shows that he not only has an office in Paris, but also in New York).
Money, courage and an anniversary
Tschumi's design was built at a time when Groningen had money, daring and an anniversary: the city had existed for 950 years, and it celebrated with the manifestation What a Wonderful World!. In addition to Tschumi, four internationally renowned architects were asked to design places where video clips could be shown. Because video clips were seen as the pinnacle of contemporary art a quarter of a century ago. Of the five video art pieces, only the designs by Bernard Tschumi and Rem Koolhaas (the bus stop on Emmaplein) are still in their original place. A third pavilion disappeared from the face of the earth, and virtually the same happened to two other pavilions: they were transferred to Appingedam and Delfzijl.
Banal bits and pieces
But the Tschumi Pavilion is standing and thriving: it has already housed nearly a hundred artist projects. And that is celebrated! Tracy Metz (journalist and author) honors and interviews Tschumi. He talks about the realization of the pavilion, gives his vision on architecture, and talks about the inescapable competitions: “I'd rather lose with a good project than win with a bad project”. With regard to the latter, would he have thought about his winning design for the Nieuwe Haagse Passage? An enormous complex that connects a number of shopping streets, and which was immediately razed to the ground a year ago by the architecture critic Bernard Hulsman. Figuratively, then, although Hulsman probably wouldn't have found any problem, literally: "Big names are no guarantee for good architecture: the Swiss building philosopher Bernard Tschumi delivered banal shoddy work." Like this! Groningen can count itself lucky with the smallest, but perhaps also the most refined that Tschumi ever designed.
Do Tracy, Tschumi!
Andreas Blühm, the director of the Groninger Museum, is also present, and appears to be daring with Metz. Metz: “The Tschumi Architects website states that the pavilion is owned by the Groninger Museum, but that is not the case at all!” Incorrect information: Blühm doesn't mind and laughs exuberantly: "Let's keep it that way!" And he continues: “Can I tell you something? Last year we tried to get Tracy to celebrate the 20th anniversary of our museum, but she categorically refused, because she hates the architecture of our building so much. Now she is here; it is clear which she likes better!”
Tschumi beams. At half past five he presses a big red button, which turns on the latest artwork in 'his' pavilion. I walk outside a moment later, and see the birthday boy standing there, like an absentee at his own party. The modesty, so Groningen! And that's why we love this thing.