7.15.2022 | DIGS.NET 49
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P R O F I L E | H A U S E R & W I R T H
remember, responsible for turning a hodgepodge of dilapidated
farm buildings in rural Somerset into a superlative art center,
and for revitalizing a 100,000-square-foot former flour mill in
downtown Los Angeles into one of the city's essential art scenes.
But even for this gallery, Hauser & Wirth Menorca stands as a
transformational tour de force.
Forming a U-shape and surrounding a square and a chapel,
the award-winning conservation project includes a series of
outlying buildings that were once tasked with managing support
functions of the main hospital, which is now a museum cele-
brating its history, established by the Fundació Hospital de l'Illa
del Rei (a non-profit formed to protect and promote the island).
There are ruins of a 6th-century basilica (discovered in 1888) on
the site, contextually true plantings and a spattering of outdoor
sculptures. Inside is a clean modern contrast to ancient stone.
This fusion of art and history enriches the experience of both.
Much of this is a credit to Luis Laplace, who Hauser & Wirth
tapped to helm the project's design, renovation and landscap-
ing. The gallery knew what it had in Laplace, having previously
teamed with the Paris-based, Argentinean architect on its
outposts in Switzerland, the UK, and the U.S. Well situated
to the monumental task at hand, Laplace worked closely and
in sympathy with the Fundació Hospital de l'Illa del Rei and
approached the project by emphasizing the island's local tradi-
tions and heritage, as well as collaborating with area architects.
To understand the origins of the building Laplace also visited
several naval buildings around Menorca. "The spaciousness of
the galleries, the restored arches and the skylights and windows
pay an homage to that origin," he says.
With both the island and Menorca protected UNESCO
Biosphere sites, conservation and sustainability are core to
the project. Tiled roof and terrazzo flooring, made on site with
Menorcan stone, are among the local architectural elements
that Laplace employed. What's more, "The project incorporates
two small annexes, restored using the local sandstone," notes
