© Vulcania-Joel Damase
On the strength of his competition scheme for the Guggenheim Collection in Salzburg, Hans Hollein was invited to design the “Vulcania” museum complex in conjunction with the local Atelier 4 team. The museum is set in the volcanic landscape of the Massif Central. Most of the 4,700 m2 exhibition area – together with two large cinemas – is situated on a number of underground levels. Only the artificial volcanic cone with its dark basalt outer skin is visible from afar above ground. It consists of two 37-metre-high tapering shells offset to each other.