Located in a national landmark, the proposal for the Interpretation Center of Andalusian Prehistory by Luis Machuca Associates strengthens and takes care of this feature by its presence on the existing territory. The object of their design was that the other landmark, the museum and the park, could be distinguished from their immediate environment, both during the day and at night. More images and architects’ description after the break.
The design does not prevent us from integrating the museum into the hillside, adapting it to the place both in formal characteristics and in the choice of materials that make up the building’s skin. The topography of the park should be hardly modified by the new building, just so much as it makes possible exploring it comfortably.
Archaeological park
The proposal creates new pathways and flowerbeds and the roads have concrete pavement to straightedge the land where it is necessary. Meanwhile, in other areas, recycled wood will be laid down, with the sensation as if they were floating over the field. The paths at some areas convert into viewpoints from that the visitors can have a special view on the landscape.
Outside routes
Through this design, people can feel like being in a cave while outside of the building, because if we pass under the piece that attempts to settle on one of the entrance zones, we arrive to a courtyard that is partly covered by the building. Here, we had the opportunity to create a close-to-nature resting zone.
The open auditorium has been integrated into the museum building as part of the very characteristic topography of the site, and it also helps to shape the above described court. As it is well protected by its own shape, it also has very good acoustic features.
Museum routes
The visitors arriving at the lobby get to the upper floor by a lift or taking the stairs, and from this place descending on a gentle slope, make the museum route until they arrive to the lobby again. In the final section, there is a temporary exhibition hall, which could be the beginning of the route, or be operated autonomously. The museum can also be discovered from the opposite direction due to its bow shape, because the two ends join by the elevator and the staircase.
Architect: Luis Machuca & Associates Architect and director: Luis Machuca Santa-Cruz Architects: Luis Machuca, María Machuca, Manuel Rodríguez Architect-Museology: León Carlos Álvarez Lda. bellas artes, museology: Miriam Díaz Lda. bellas artes museology, scenography: Blanca Machuca Archaeology-museology: María del Mar Espejo Museology INGHO engineers: Pedro Cantalejo Quantity surveyor-architect: José Manuel Caro Architecture students: Eszter Berecz, Ana García, Rafael Gimbel
