Vik Cars Automobile Museum

The main idea behind the project was to treat the space not as a traditional exhibition, but as a scenographic environment.

We moved away from a chronological or static presentation of the collection. Instead, we focused on creating a spatial experience where movement, perspective and light define how the cars are perceived.

The inspiration came from the contrast between industrial architecture and collectible objects. The goal was to create a restrained yet structured environment that enhances the perception of the exhibits without competing with them.

The main focus was on spatial clarity, movement scenarios and visual hierarchy.

The layout was designed to allow visitors to interact with the space freely, without a predefined route. The space functions as an open system, where each visitor creates their own experience.

Special attention was given to integrating technical elements — lighting, structure and engineering — into a unified architectural logic.

We see this project as a model approach that can be scaled.

In the future, we plan to develop similar spaces where architecture acts as a system that enhances the perception of the collection rather than competing with it.

For us, “architectural silence” did not mean the absence of architecture. It was a very deliberate architectural position: to create a space that does not compete with the cars, but allows the viewer to see them with greater attention.The Vik Cars Automobile Museum collection includes 32 automobiles, each with its own scale, color, character, history, and technical language. If the interior had tried to speak too loudly, it would have immediately disturbed this balance. That is why we worked with the idea of restrained presence: clear geometry, a dark background, controlled lighting, simple circulation routes, and a very limited number of expressive gestures.The spatial grammar of the museum is not based on a strict chronology. It is based on the dialogue between the cars. Some exhibits are perceived almost as sculptures, others as fragments of a particular era or personal story. Our role was to give these objects enough air, light, and distance.In this sense, the space feels both disciplined and expressive. Its expressiveness does not come from decoration, but from the way it structures attention.

We did not want to create the museum as a sequence of closed rooms or isolated scenes. For a private automobile collection, that would have felt too static. Cars are objects of movement, even when they are standing still. It was important for us to preserve a sense of route, changing perspective, and gradual discovery within the space.The open-plan layout allowed us to work not with walls, but with distances, light, and sightlines. A visitor can see several cars at once, but each of them still has its own area of attention. This creates a more dynamic experience: the viewer does not simply move from one exhibit to another, but constantly reads the relationships between them.The non-linear structure also helped us avoid the feeling of a museum “instruction.” We do not force the visitor to follow one correct path. Instead, the space supports different scenarios: a quick overview, a detailed study, photography, an event, a presentation, or a private viewing.We believe this flexibility is important for the future of privately held cultural collections. They should not only be places of preservation, but living spaces capable of supporting different forms of interaction.

Light became the main architectural instrument of this project. In an automobile museum, lighting cannot be only a technical function. It has to reveal the body shape, the depth of color, the chrome details, and the proportions of each car, while avoiding visual noise.We worked very closely with the lighting team because several tasks had to be combined within one system. The linear LED profiles form the overall spatial structure and establish rhythm. Accent lighting works with each car individually. Ambient lighting creates depth and prevents the space from feeling flat.The more than 500 meters of bespoke linear LED profiles were not simply a technical quantity. They became a way to define the architectural identity of the museum. Light was not added to the interior afterward; it became one of its structural languages.One of the key challenges was the psychology of rhythm. Too much light quickly tires the visitor. Too little light causes the loss of detail and reduces the quality of perception. We were looking for a balance between precision, comfort, and a certain dramaturgy without theatrical excess, but with a clear sense of focus.