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
| Jul 8, 2013
RSMeans cost comparisons: hotels, motels, and apartment buildings
Construction market analysts from RSMeans offer construction costs per square foot for hotels, motels, and apartment buildings.
| Jul 8, 2013
Learn from the world’s fastest animal: speed isn’t everything
Every schoolchild knows that the cheetah is the world’s fastest land animal—70 mph, no sweat. And, as we all know from National Geographic television documentaries, it is speed that makes Acinonyx jubatus such a fearsome hunter, right?
| Jul 3, 2013
Mid-year special: Top 13 stories for 2013 (so far)
Every six months, we like to take a look back at the stories that generated the most interest from our readers. Here's a roundup of the top 13 articles on BDCnetwork.com for the first six months of 2013.
| Jul 3, 2013
World's biggest freestanding building opens in China
Measuring a stout 100 meters high, 500 meters long, and 400 meters wide, the New Century Global Centre in the Tianfu New District of Chengdu, China, is officially the world's largest freestanding building.
| Jul 3, 2013
Mall of America will double in size after $2.5 billion expansion
The nation's largest indoor mall will undergo a $2.5 billion, 10-year expansion project that will add attractions like an NHL-sized skating rink and an indoor water park.
| Jul 3, 2013
Architects team with HUD to promote 'Rebuild By Design' competition for Hurricane Sandy recovery effort
The American Institute of Architects (AIA) today announced a communications campaign urging its membership to enter the “Rebuild by Design” multi-stage regional design competition announced by Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Shaun Donovan on June 20.
| Jul 2, 2013
LEED v4 gets green light, will launch this fall
The U.S. Green Building Council membership has voted to adopt LEED v4, the next update to the world’s premier green building rating system.
| Jul 1, 2013
Firestone Building Products Company LLC Announces Sustainability Report
Firestone Building Products Company, LLC, the leading manufacturer of superior “Roots to Rooftops” products for commercial building performance solutions, today announced the release of its 2012 Sustainability Report. The report, the first for Firestone Building Products Company, covers the fiscal 2012 year and is available for download at firestonebpco.com.
| Jul 1, 2013
LEGOLAND builds 12-foot replica of One World Trade Center
The LEGOLAND Discovery Center Westchester in Yonkers, N.Y., celebrated the completion of a LEGO replica of One World Trade Center by lighting the 12-foot-tall, 100-pound model.
| Jul 1, 2013
Report: Global construction market to reach $15 trillion by 2025
A new report released today forecasts the volume of construction output will grow by more than 70% to $15 trillion worldwide by 2025.