Messner Mountain Museum Corones
Location Kronplatz, Bruneck, South Tyrol, Italy Architect Zaha Hadid Architects Completion 2014 Costsapprox. €30 million
Zaha Hadid's Messner Mountain Museum is the perfect example of Alpine architecture. The museum rests on the edge of Kronplatz. It resembles a UFO that has crashed to earth and become stuck in a mountaintop. Of the six locations of the Messner Mountain Museum, the Kronplatz museum is also the "crown jewel." The massive viewing platform overlooks South Tyrol and many mountain ranges beyond. The smooth concrete surface merges with the rough stone blocks and the sparse grasses that still thrive at this altitude. Hadid's creation not only resembles the landscape, but is one with it. The museum is not only dedicated to alpinism, skiing and mountaineering, but also serves as a launch pad for hang-gliders and paragliders. The perfectly fitting architecture has made the mountain itself part of the museum.
This consideration gave rise to the idea for a short film:
To explore how the mountain museum affects its visitors, enveloping them in a feeling of peace and introspection, I wanted to tell the story of an ultra-trail runner who is always on the verge of his physical maximum. He is in a battle between his skills and what the mountain demands of him. Even on the summit, he feels the call for more. In the museum as a retreat, however, he finds peace and quiet. The protagonist is guided by the curves of the architecture and the knowledge on the walls deep into the mountain. Here he comes across a quote that illuminates him; "Nobody goes as far as a man who doesn't know where he is going" - Bill Tillman. Detached from his pressure to perform, he leaves the museum on the other side and finally enjoys the here and now. He is connected with himself and the world.
Photographing the mountain monument
I spent a total of two days at the museum for the photo and film work. Despite COVID, the MMM was fully open, which meant it was full of visitors. Carrying heavy equipment with a breathing mask at almost 2,300 meters above sea level was another challenge. The Kronplatz is a very touristy area with several cable cars, museums, restaurants and sports stations on its summit. Thousands of visitors flock to the plateau every day to enjoy the view. I wanted to completely hide this mass tourism in my project and had to be very patient and pay attention to the right section in my image compositions. The aim of the photo series was not to show a realistic picture of mountain tourism, but to provide inspiration for what the coexistence of man and nature in the Alps can look like.
Concrete volumes
The architecture legend Zaha Hadid is known for creating free-flowing designs that integrate into the environment. The Messner Mountain Museum Corones is an iconic example of this. The concrete cladding surrounds the visitor and gives the feeling that you are actually inside the rock of the mountain. The staggered and winding walkways look like paths hewn into the Alps. The aim of my compositions was to show how the branched interior of the museum envelops the visitor and offers him a protective refuge on the Kronplatz.
Creating moments: The empty chair
It has always been my goal to capture living architecture. I try to include people in some motifs - not only to illustrate proportions - but to show how the architecture is used. I look for moments that illustrate my feeling for the building.
In the MMM there is a motif that I encountered while photographing and that I have explored here: the empty chair.
The chair is an invitation to visitors to take a seat. It seems to say: "Be in the here and now. Feel appreciation for this environment." It was important to me to include this element and thus the mood of this moment.
Photographing Hadid's extraordinary exterior
The extraordinary design of the viewing platform and the expansive viewing window are captivating in their execution. The concrete of the building appears to break through the ground like its own summit. The warm, directed light of the evening sun particularly emphasizes the shape of the concrete cladding of the alpine museum, drawing our attention to the perfectly formed curves of the building. It was absolutely necessary to show the museum in relation to its surroundings, both in the tighter compositions and in the wide views.
The view of the seemingly floating viewing platform above the landscape embodies the breathtaking height at which the structure was installed. Clouds pass by the large window fronts. The grass sprouting next to the museum adds an organic structure and softens the harsh image of the stone colossus.
The ever-changing mood of the Messner Mountain Museum
During the exterior shots, it was exciting to observe the changing moods throughout the day. The soft tones of twilight and the overcast morning sky alternate with the bright colors of the evening sun, resulting in very different interpretations of the MMM Corones. Based on these moods, I was able to take a series of photos that – for me – stand out from the many other photos of this very popular Instagram hotspot.
The MMM under South Tyrol's stars
After 16 hours of shooting, it was time for an after-work beer...but I couldn't enjoy it. I couldn't help myself and grabbed my camera to capture the late evening light that bathes the museum in a wonderful atmosphere. After a short dinner break, I was back in front of the museum at 10:00 PM and created a grandiose night shot of the building. The concrete colossus rests under thousands of stars on the summit of the mountain. It seems to be illuminated by the cool light of the star galaxy. In reality, however, it is illuminated by a special LED construction on my drone.
Image Editing
Away from the mountain and back at my computer, I turned my attention to color correction. By consciously reducing certain colors and deliberately emphasizing others, I was able to create a series of images with different moods that still worked cohesively as a series. While the exterior images shine in strong blue and orange tones, the tonality is emphasized in the interior. The gray stone walls are only interrupted by the warmly glowing strips of light, thus focusing the museum guest's gaze on the exhibits.
An alpine icon
It is undeniable that the Messner Mountain Museum Corones is an icon of alpine architecture. After all, Messner called it the crowning achievement of his museum construction. I would even go so far as to say that it is also the crowning achievement of my photographic career! The images of MMM Corones have earned me recognition at the European Architectural Photography Prize, a nomination for the Leica Oskar Barnack Award, and a nomination for the International Fine Art Photography Award, not to mention a wonderful memory that will stay with me for the rest of my life.
Equipment
Camera
1. Lens
2. Lens
3. Lens
4. Lens
Drone
Tripod
Software
Canon EOS R
Canon TS-E 24 mm 1: 3.5 l II
Canon TS-E 50mm f/2.8L MAKRO
Canon EF 16-35mm F2.8L II USM
Canon RF 24-105MM F4L IST USM
DJI Mavic 2 Pro
Feisol CT-3441T Rapid
Capture One 21, Adobe Photoshop CC
