Abstract
I. Introduction II. Controversy about the idea of "ZweckmaBigkeit" III. Method of architectural composition IV. Apparant constructive aesthetics V. Relation to the renewal of urban space VI. Social aspect of the public institution The architectural design of "Altes Museum" in Berlin by K. F. Schinkel showed the archetype of architectural design for the public institution in the age of the modern civic society. The basic design-principle was to raise the concept "ZweckmaBigkeit" associated with the economic consideration to the level of art. The contemporal rationalistic idea in Europe to articulate and compose the inner space was introduced. The block-form was made logically by combining the rectangular space-units, the rotunda and the colonnade by means of proportion. The block-form was covered with the simple constructive appearance, that showed Schinkel's apparant constructive aesthetics applying classic style. Such formal system played also a role of a mean to reform the urban space, and to reorganize the ine infra-structure of the town. The social purpose of musem, defined to cultivate the nation, was achieved through architectural method giving enjoyment to the people with architectural setting and authorizing it as a space introducing the rotunda.
