The forecourt of the Bonnefanten Museum has a new eye-catcher this summer. The Russian Box, designed by Aldo Rossi (1931–1997), welcomes visitors as a tribute to the architect of the Bonnefanten building.

On the forecourt

With the installation of this colourful tower, complete with a golden spire and weather vane, Bonnefanten pays tribute to Aldo Rossi, the world-famous Italian architect who also designed the museum that has stood on this site for 30 years. The Russian Box is recognisable by Rossi’s characteristic design language and playful architecture. This summer, on the forecourt, the artwork forms a unique pairing with the iconic museum building.

Donation on display again

Rossi designed the Russian Box in 1989 as a ticket office and kiosk building for the ‘Architecture and Imagination’ event at Fort Asperen. After the event in Asperen, the Russian Box was used as a ticket booth at a railway station in Leeuwarden. When it broke, pupils from Fryslan College recreated the tower. That version was donated to the Bonnefanten in 2020. The museum has since exhibited the Russian Box on several occasions in the province of Limburg.

A play on shapes

The Russian Box consists of stacked, geometric volumes reminiscent of interlocking boxes. The name refers to the design’s architectural language and the inspiration Rossi drew from European architectural history, including the monumental architecture of Russia and Eastern Europe. Recognisable, archetypal forms from different eras and cultures were a major source of inspiration for his work.
The installation of the Russian Box is intended solely as a tribute to Aldo Rossi and his architectural legacy and should therefore not be seen as a political statement. The design dates from 1989, well before the current war in Ukraine.

Permanent Rossi exhibition

This autumn, the Bonnefanten Museum is opening a permanent exhibition on the life and work of Aldo Rossi. Visitors will be introduced to the versatility of one of the most influential architects of the twentieth century and discover the special relationship between Rossi and the museum. This colourful piece, the Russian Box, has now been installed in the museum as a reference to the permanent exhibition on Rossi, which opens at the Bonnefanten on 19 September.

Header 1: Aldo Rossi, Russian Box, maquette (detail), Collection Bonnefanten. Foto Peter Cox

Header 2: Aldo Rossi, Russian Box, drawing, paper, watercolourpen, 51,2 (h) x 61,2 (w), 1989, Collection Bonnefanten. Foto Peter Cox