Vernissage
Built on the ashes of the former family home, the Vernissage is a new kind of cultural centre which can in turn be an art gallery, a cinema/theatre, a bar or an auditorium.
Heinz Julen made everything himself and yet again made innovations; the open space is never closed off, the levels are interconnecting. Spread over 3 floors,going down into the Vernissage is like entering the world of art.
After the cloakroom,which is situated at street level, a spiral staircase takes you down to the bar, which overlooks both the auditorium and the art gallery situated in the basement. A foot-bridge takes you directly above the exhibition, whilst an immense glazed bay is lowered when there are theatre or cinema shows, thus screening off the auditorium, which is itself modular: all the equipment can be moved (movable screen and stage, sliding chandeliers,…).The furniture and interior decoration have to a large extent been salvaged from abandoned houses in the Upper Valais and recycled.
The bar is set around a fireplace made by Heinz Julen, and lets you to enjoy a drink in a warm, subdued atmosphere in which the customer quickly forgets that he is a ”customer”. It has been so successful that a second Vernissage was opened in Saas Fee in December 2003.
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