The Leading Culture Destination Awards have been referred to as ‘The Oscars for Museums,’ for their role in recognizing institutions and cities around the globe for highlighting local culture, collaborating across sectors, and showcasing emerging destinations. And if the LCD Awards are the Oscars for Museums, then The Museum of Tomorrow, designed by Santiago Calatrava, has just won best picture for Central and South America.
The museum was awarded “Best New Museum of the Year – Central & South America” for its ability to address the future of the planet and lead the way in forward-thinking sustainable innovation.
The museum’s design is inspired by Brazilian culture and emphasizes sustainable design through its incorporation of natural light and use of water from the bay to regulate temperature. The roof and façade stretch almost the entire length of the Maua Pier while a reflecting pool filled with water from the surrounding bay gives the impression that the museum is floating. Additionally, photovoltaic solar panels on the roof adjust to the angle for the sun throughout the day for maximum solar intake.
The Museum of Tomorrow was also nominated for the ‘Museum Architecture of the Year’ award, but The Broad, a contemporary art museum in Los Angeles, won. Since the museum opened in December of 2015, it has already surpassed one million visitors and has become a symbol of the urban recovery of the Puerto Maravilha neighborhood.
Related Stories
Museums | Jul 9, 2015
David Adjaye unveils brownstone-inspired design for The Studio Museum in Harlem
In designing the five-story, 71,000-sf building, Adjaye took cues from the brownstones, churches, and bustling sidewalks of Harlem.
Museums | Jul 1, 2015
Diller Scofidio + Renfro merges old and new for UC Berkeley Art Museum design
The building, located directly across from the UC Berkeley campus, integrates the existing 48,000-sf Art Deco-style building with a new 35,000-sf structure.
Museums | Jun 28, 2015
Manhattan's New Museum debuts first museum-led incubator space
Part studio, part shared workplace, part lab, and part professional development program, NEW INC connects design with technology, the arts with the market, students with seasoned practitioners, and the museum with the world.
Museums | Jun 23, 2015
Moreau Kusunoki's 'art in the city' scheme wins Guggenheim Helsinki design competition
The firm’s design concept makes use of the museum’s site, turning it into a bustling, well-connected waterfront hub.
Museums | Jun 17, 2015
Final two designs selected for China's 'Three Museums, One Square' development
Overlooking the Pearl River in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou, the cluster of museums will be designed by Nieto Sobejano Arquitectos, gmp Architekten, and Thomas Herzog Architekten.
Museums | Jun 3, 2015
Qatar launches design competition for waterfront art museum
The new gallery will repurpose a soon-to-be-vacant flour mill.
Museums | May 28, 2015
SANAA wins bid to design new building for Art Gallery of New South Wales
The museum's developers hope the new gallery will enrich Sydney’s eastern cultural precinct.
Museums | May 18, 2015
Diller Scofidio + Renfro unveils preliminary design for U.S. Olympic Museum
According to the firm’s founding partner, Elizabeth Diller, the design was inspired by the movement of athletes, as it “spirals up and outwards from a central atrium.”
Museums | May 13, 2015
The museum of tomorrow: 8 things to know about cultural institutions in today’s society
Entertainment-based experiences, personal journeys, and community engagement are among the key themes that cultural institutions must embrace to stay relevant, write Gensler's Diana Lee and Richard Jacob.
Museums | Apr 27, 2015
Finalists’ designs for Guggenheim Helsinki competition released
A custom-developed App engages an international public in the selection process.