This project proposes the construction of a new museum, dedicated to the ethnographic culture and iconographic creations of the region of Berat in Albania. Berat is an old city located in south-central Albania. Rich in historical heritage it remains on of the best preserved examples of late Ottoman architecture while also mixed with older traces of culture like the Byzantine.
The building is composed of two sections; the northern part contains the galleries where the iconographical and ethnographical objects are exhibited while the southern section contains public functions like a public library, an auditorium and also the adminstration zone of the museum.
Both sections are constructed underground, each around its own courtyard. The museum while revolving around its rotonda style inner courtyard, emerges from the ground like a spiral ramp. This rise ends perpendicularly to the boulevard thus creating there the entrance to the museum. The ramp is where the iconographical objects are exposed while the ethnographic hall is located in the center under the green terraces.
The entire site of the museum functions as a free public space. The roof of the iconographic galleries is also used as a ramp which can be accessed by tourists or citizens, as a belvedere which offers unobstructed views towards the beautyfull Mangalemi, and across the river towards the Gorica quarter. At the highest point of the roof is also located a secondary entrance to the museum.
The public spaces in the southern part are accessed by a stair path which goes down to the triangular courtyard.
The immersion of the building undergorund helps in keeping it environmentally sound and sustainable while simultaneously keeping the view towards the historical parts of the city unobstructed.
A special consideration was given to the natural lighting of the galleries and the library, given that these matter becomes more difficult to resolve in a building located mostly undergorund.
The iconographic galleries and the library are mostly lit from above and sideways, with the natural amount of light controlled via rotating louvers. The ethnographic hall is lit through its saw toothed roof which above the ground is translated into green terraces which merge with the adjacent park.
The building is composed of two sections; the northern part contains the galleries where the iconographical and ethnographical objects are exhibited while the southern section contains public functions like a public library, an auditorium and also the adminstration zone of the museum.
Both sections are constructed underground, each around its own courtyard. The museum while revolving around its rotonda style inner courtyard, emerges from the ground like a spiral ramp. This rise ends perpendicularly to the boulevard thus creating there the entrance to the museum. The ramp is where the iconographical objects are exposed while the ethnographic hall is located in the center under the green terraces.
The entire site of the museum functions as a free public space. The roof of the iconographic galleries is also used as a ramp which can be accessed by tourists or citizens, as a belvedere which offers unobstructed views towards the beautyfull Mangalemi, and across the river towards the Gorica quarter. At the highest point of the roof is also located a secondary entrance to the museum.
The public spaces in the southern part are accessed by a stair path which goes down to the triangular courtyard.
The immersion of the building undergorund helps in keeping it environmentally sound and sustainable while simultaneously keeping the view towards the historical parts of the city unobstructed.
A special consideration was given to the natural lighting of the galleries and the library, given that these matter becomes more difficult to resolve in a building located mostly undergorund.
The iconographic galleries and the library are mostly lit from above and sideways, with the natural amount of light controlled via rotating louvers. The ethnographic hall is lit through its saw toothed roof which above the ground is translated into green terraces which merge with the adjacent park.
Source: https://www.behance.net/gallery/19874897/Museum-of-Ethnography-and-Iconography-Berat by https://www.behance.net/ervinarizi is licensed under cc by-nc-nd (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/deed.en_US)
