David Chipperfield Architects has received the competitors for the Nationwide Archaeological Museum in Athens. The proposal was developed along with Wirtz Worldwide, Tombazis &Affiliate Architects, wh-p ingenieure, Werner Sobek and Atelier Brückner. Situated within the Exarcheia district of Athens, the Nationwide Archaeological Museum homes one of many world’s most essential collections of prehistoric and historical artwork.
The unique neoclassical constructing by Ludwig Lange and Ernst Ziller, dates from 1866—1874, and has been supplemented with further buildings over time. By refurbishment and extension, the Nationwide Archaeological Museum of Athens might be modernized to satisfy right this moment’s requirements of high quality, openness and sustainability. The re-birth of the Nationwide Archaeological Museum, which stands as a strong hyperlink between fashionable Greeks and their heritage, additionally symbolizes the strengthening of the Greek cultural supply for worldwide guests following a 12 months by which a report variety of vacationers got here to the nation.
David Chipperfield Architects attracts on the essence of Lange’s unique design – a romantic philhellenic thought of an city panorama, articulated by means of lush open areas throughout the dense metropolis grid – taking the monumental constructing as a place to begin and framing it with nature. The plinth of the present constructing is prolonged all the best way to the road, offering a brand new setting for the historic landmark constructing, whereas including two flooring of subterranean galleries. In a single gesture, this generates roughly 20,000 m2 of further house and a lush inexperienced park on the roof that’s open to all. Respecting the constructing’s historic worth, the extension doesn’t aspire to compete with the present structure, however types a harmonious ensemble of areas, discovering a steadiness between previous and new.
The design’s logic follows the present topography of the positioning: an imposing neoclassical constructing dealing with an unlimited inexperienced plaza. The extension will include the museum’s most important public capabilities – ticket desk, store, restaurant, auditorium and everlasting and momentary exhibitions areas – that are organised symmetrically, acknowledging the historic structure. The primary entrance is introduced ahead to road stage, reinforcing the museum’s relationship with the town. By a brand new façade the museum communicates overtly with its city environment, providing passers-by views into the brand new exhibition areas.
Upon getting into the museum, guests stroll by means of two flooring of steady, flowing exhibition house that leads them to the present constructing. A refined architectural language of pure and clear volumes, diagonal views and rammed-earth partitions contrasts with the historic areas. Together with a exact play of sunshine and shadow, this evokes the sensation of subterranean caverns, forming a delicate setting for exhibiting artefacts and sculptures from the gathering.
The museum backyard offers a cool, quiet public house elevated above the bustling metropolis. It echoes the traditional Greek ultimate of a public gathering house for all residents. The panorama, designed by the Belgian panorama architects Wirtz Worldwide, is wealthy in texture. The volumes on the decrease stage enable for the planting of monumental bushes on the roof. Lavish gravel areas and paths, lawns, teams of Umbrella and Aleppo pines with evergreen Holm oaks and tailor-made shrub massings reference Nineteenth-century parks. The park is accessible from all instructions, and a sunken, sheltered internal courtyard on the coronary heart of the complicated binds collectively the previous and new, offering a pretty assembly place for museum guests and Athenians.
The Dutch structure agency OMA additionally lately received the competitors to renovate the Egyptian Museum in Turin, Italy.
Feedback
Originally posted 2023-02-16 12:06:17.