“ONCE_NOW“
from rocky earth to oversight of the whole
 
Archaeological Thematic Museum of Piraeus 
Open Architectural Competition (Preliminary Design), 2014
 
Materiality, land removal, simple geometric shapes and limit transformed into space in the existing building and the museological narrative. Consideration of the recovery of the earthly and rocky structure of the site led to the re-rendition of the gate’s concept as ‘a space of penetration and oversight’.
 
The new Museum is a simple geometric volume with a three-way division. A ‘quarrying product’ that brings to mind the geomorphologic changes in the peninsula’s topography. A concrete block marks the base of the building’s volume while a porous prism, a stone’s volume after its cutting, demarcates its crest. The external structure, an element of optical penetration, surrounds the external motion flow, while in the internal articulation a ‘funnel of light’ surrounds the central course of ascent, descent.
The living experience of the whole, of ‘once_now’, reaches its peak with the viewing of the city of Pireaus and Athens in a reflection game with water mirrors of the outdoor glyptotheque.
 
The Museum square and the Public Park advance as a perceivably seamless and consistent space with legibility and size. Curves, fluid forms, create levels and access ramps, create an atmosphere of familiarity and optical diffusion, shaping the square.
 
Architectural design: 
 
sparch SAKELLARIDOU / PAPANIKOLAOU ARCHITECTS 
Partner in Charge: Morpho Papanikolaou
Collaborators: E. Papaevangelou, G. Papanikolaou, E. Korompeli, E. Zntravkov , N. Xristopoulou
Students of architecture: G. Kontominas, I. Tatli, A. Papadopoulou, Z. Iatridou
Consultans: F. Vlachaki (Architect, Museologist), S. Barbarian (Landascape Architect), P. Kinatos. I. Pagonis, K. Polyhronopoulos (Civil Engineers), Samaras & Associates – Consultant Engineers (Mechanical  Engineer), E. Deko & Associates (Lighting Design), Beetroot (Logo)
Archisearch - Elevation (c) sparch ELEVATION (C) SPARCH
Archisearch - Elevation (c) sparchELEVATION (C) SPARCH
Archisearch - Masterplan (c) sparch MASTERPLAN (C) SPARCH
Archisearch - Concept (c) sparch CONCEPT (C) SPARCH
Archisearch - Main exhibition space (c) sparchMAIN EXHIBITION SPACE (C) SPARCH
Archisearch - “Funnel of Light” (c) sparch €?FUNNEL OF LIGHT€? (C) SPARCH
Archisearch - Lobby (c) sparch LOBBY (C) SPARCH
Archisearch - The Park (c) sparch  THE PARK (C) SPARCH
Archisearch - Outdoor Glyptotheque (c) sparch OUTDOOR GLYPTOTHEQUE (C) SPARCH
Archisearch - View of the Archaeological Site (c) sparch VIEW OF THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE (C) SPARCH
Archisearch - Main Entrance (c) sparch MAIN ENTRANCE (C) SPARCH
Archisearch - General Νight View (c) sparch GENERAL ΝIGHT VIEW (C) SPARCH

RELATED ARTICLES