Time Travel

This new pavilion designed by Bjarke Ingels houses the legacy of Audemars Piguet, and is a sight to behold for horologists and design lovers alike

In the Swiss town of Le Brassus lies a museum that turns back the years, chronicling the 145year history of horological house Audemars Piguet. Slated to open by the end of 2020, Musée Atelier Audemars Piguet is designed by BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group); it was built to connect to the recently renovated residence of founders Jules Louis Audemars and Edward Auguste Piguet, and features a museum, archive as well as a workshop.

The building’s spiral design references the shape of a watch spring, while serving as a metaphor for the complex movements in each timepiece. Curved glass walls support the entire structure, with brass mesh applied to its exterior to regulate the temperature and illumination in its interior while providing unblocked views of the valley.

At the heart of the museum is the Universelle pocket watch—constructed in 1899, it is said to be the more complex timepiece in existence. “Watchmaking, like architecture, is the art and science of imbuing metals and minerals with energy, movement, intelligence and measure,” says Bjarke Ingels, founder and creative director of BIG, on the inspiration behind its design.