Morphological transformation. Oswald Mathias Ungers and the Morsbroich Museum in Leverkusen

The transformation was, for Oswald Mathias Ungers, one of the main themes of theoretical reflection and design research throughout his career. The German architect recognizes in the principle of transformation, which is internally linked to the concept of new formation, the ability to free architecture from the problem of the apparent irreconcilability of conflicting situations within the project. He is also able to avoid reducing architecture to mere functional thinking. It is precisely through the transformation that it is possible to explore the numerous possibilities of configuring reality, recognizing the value of multiplicity and the dialectical comparison between opposites. The principle of transformation, due to its characteristic inclusiveness, also offers the possibility of resolving the conflicting knot between art and nature. According to Ungers, the transformation can even be considered the very object of the design process, as long as architecture is recognized as a process of historical continuity where the past defines the field of action for the future, conceivable through the tool of modification. The 1975 project for the Morsbroich Museum in Leverkusen certainly represents an example with a strong demonstrative character. Here Ungers puts his reflections into practice, investigating the theme of modification, which he will repeatedly address in his design activity. In the project for the Morsbroich Castle Museum, a continuous elliptical wall, placed on the edge of the islet surrounding the Baroque palace, is subjected to a series of morphological transformations that modify its spatiality. Through this operation, however, the destinations of the spaces and their possible interpretations also change. The architectural element, with its modification, takes on a new meaning. Through the analysis of this unrealized project and the comparison with other works by the German architect, it is still possible to define, even today, a framework in which the concept of morphological transformation, understood as a design tool, can enrich the architectural language and stimulate the architect’s creative ability through the exploration of all the possible modifications of architectural elements and space.