This proposal for an extension to the Serlachius Gösta Museum is compatible with its unique physical environment and cognisant of its rich cultural history. The solution as presented here, achieves a balance between the stated aesthetic, functional, technical and economic targets while adhering to the principles of sustainable development. The existing manor building will remain as an exhibition facility; the proposed extension is a detached architectural form but with connections at basement ground and first floor. The basement connection provides for a seamless back-of-house organisation of service functions with direct connection from the manor basement to the new conservation and art storage/handling facilities.

The connections at ground and first floor will allow a continuous route from the new foyer, upstairs through the new collection gallery, through the upper floor of the manor house, down the manor stair, through the ground floor manor exhibition rooms and back to the new foyer. This exhibition route is independent of the route through the changing exhibition rooms and can therefore remain in operation even when the new exhibition rooms are between exhibitions. The facade contains a material called radiant light film which has dichroic properties, producing iridescence from the available natural light. Colourless metal oxides on the surface of the file disrupt the reflection of light, producing interference patterns that appear as colour. As the angle of incidence changes and number of reflections increase the colour changes. Therefore the surface, the light source and the viewer are in an ever-changing relationship. This effect appears naturally on petrol and peacocks feathers. The colours, as experienced, are not produced by chemical action but are in effect a distillation of the natural light available.