The Museo Maya de América in Guatemala City will be the world’s largest museum of Mayan history and culture, at 60,000 sf.
Designed by Swiss firm Harry Gugger Studio, Boston-based interdisciplinary design firm over,under, and Seis Arquitectos, the museum will be located on the northern edge of L’Aurora Park and feature artifacts, artworks, and textiles.
Drawing inspiration from traditional temple architecture, a monolithic box will be perched atop blocks of stone, accompanied by staggered stone screens and overscaled loggias.
Neoscape’s renderings for the project were awarded the Hugh Ferriss Memorial Prize by the American Society of Architectural Illustrators.
Here is the statement from the design team at over,under:
The new Museo Maya de América will house one of the world’s most significant collections of objects, artifacts, artworks, textiles, and information on the history and culture of the Mayan civilization. The new museum building is formed by two primary elements: a fragmented plinth and a monolithic box above.
The design’s materials and characteristics draw inspiration from the language of Mayan temple architecture, translated into a contemporary vocabulary. Organized for maximum public interaction with the site, the ground is given almost entirely to open space. Exhibition galleries reside within the floating box, while the roof is returned to the general public as an accessible civic space. The various floor levels are connected by stairs that climb their way around a central courtyard. This space evokes the cenote, a natural sinkhole characteristic of the Yucatan and held sacred by the Maya.
The museum takes advantage of Guatemala’s temperate climate by naturally ventilating all but a small number of spaces. Galleries are wrapped by glass cases, so that items in storage become a part of the public display. The design has been developed in collaboration with Harry Gugger Studios. Seis Arquitectos will serve as the architect of record. Museo Maya de América received the Boston Society of Architect’s 2013 Unbuilt Architecture Award.
More on the project at: http://www.overcommaunder.com/?/work/featured/MuseoMaya/
Related Stories
Healthcare Facilities | Dec 15, 2021
COVID-19 has altered the speed and design of healthcare projects, perhaps irrevocably
Healthcare clients want their projects up and running quicker, a task made more complicated by the shortage of skilled labor in many markets.
Healthcare Facilities | Dec 15, 2021
MEP design considerations for rural hospitals
Rural hospitals present unique opportunities and challenges for healthcare facility operators. Oftentimes, the infrastructure and building systems have not been updated for years and require significant improvements in order to meet today’s modern medical demands. Additionally, as these smaller, more remote hospitals are acquired by larger regional and national healthcare systems, the first step by new ownership is often to update and rehabilitate the building. But how can this be done thoughtfully, economically, and efficiently in ways that allow the engineering and facility staff to adapt to the changes? And how can the updates accurately reflect the specific needs of rural communities and the afflictions with which these areas most commonly face?
Architects | Dec 13, 2021
Dan Hart, FAIA, inaugurated AIA 2022 President
Dan Hart will be the AIA's 98th President.
Architects | Dec 13, 2021
MASS Design Group receives 2022 AIA Architecture Firm Award
The annual AIA Architecture Firm Award is the highest honor the AIA bestows on an architecture practice.
Architects | Dec 13, 2021
2022 AIA Gold Medal awarded to Angela Brooks and Lawrence Scarpa
The Gold Medal honors an individual or pair whose significant body of work has had a lasting influence on the theory and practice of architecture.
K-12 Schools | Dec 10, 2021
Trends in K-12 school design, with Dan Boggio and Melissa Turnbaugh of PBK
Dan Boggio and Melissa Turnbaugh of PBK, the largest K-12 design firm in the U.S., discuss the favorable market conditions and the latest trends in K-12 school design with BD+C's Rob Cassidy.
Architects | Dec 9, 2021
Hoffmann Architects wins Connecticut American Institute of Architects Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Award
The AIA Connecticut J.E.D.I. Challenge, launched in November 2020, offers member firms the opportunity to commit to actions in each of the Challenge areas.
Giants 400 | Dec 5, 2021
2021 Justice Facility Sector Giants: Top architecture, engineering, and construction firms in the U.S. justice facility/public safety sector
Turner Construction, DLR Group, AECOM, and Stantec top BD+C's rankings of the nation's largest architecture, engineering, and construction firms for justice facility/public safety buildings work, including correctional facilities, fire stations, jails, police stations, and prisons, as reported in the 2021 Giants 400 Report.
Giants 400 | Dec 3, 2021
2021 Hotel Sector Giants: Top architecture, engineering, and construction firms in the U.S. hospitality sector
Gensler, Jacobs, Suffolk Construction, and WATG top BD+C's rankings of the nation's largest hotel sector architecture, engineering, and construction firms, as reported in the 2021 Giants 400 Report.
Architects | Nov 29, 2021
LRK Names Tony Pellicciotti ‘Managing Principal’ of firm
Pellicciotti is one of LRK’s fourteen principals representing its markets in Memphis, Dallas, Philadelphia, Orlando/Celebration, New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Little Rock, and Princeton.
