New Archaeological Museum
Participation 2017
(In collaboration with Filios Charalambides Architects)
Searching for some intrinsic fact encoded in ancient Cyprus history, myths and legends, we certainly identified the association of Cyprus with ancient goddess Venus as highly aptly and dominant. Venus born from the sea, and so was Cyprus.
The common emergence from the sea for both Cyprus and Aphrodite is undoubtedly a unique characteristic of the island's history that constituted a basic source of inspiration in the development of the archaeological museum. The form encompasses the movement and dynamics of ascent. The building volumes emerge from the ground and water with reference to the emergence of the mountain ranges which formed the island.
Writing in Cyprus appeared around 1500 BC. The earliest system of writing was syllabic(each symbol representing either a vowel or a combination of vowels and consonants) and had strong similarities with the Minoan Linear A.
In all likelihood it was imported from Crete and adapted to the needs of ancient Cypriot language. The script is called 'Cypro-Minoan', but, like the Linear A, has not yet been deciphered.
The Cypro-Minoan script is another historic artifact of symbolic life that was selected to characterize the building in the form of an exterior envelope at a distance with openings that allow light to diffuse inside the building and evenly illuminate the exhibits. At the same time it reflects the building use to the outside and emphasizes the effort that is necessary to decipher and understand the culture of Cyprus.
The emergence of the museum building defines the space syntax and organizes the larger urban recasting of the site. The building is placed along the Chilonos road and clearly separates the car traffic area (street, parking and basement and loading accesses) from public traffic areas and public action. The public space is organized on two levels. In the square to the east and the green space to the west.
The building is functionally organized in two sections which are separated vertically in correspondence with the oncoplastic organization of the building. The public services building section is housed in the northern oblong volume while the main building 'machine' is housed in the south elongated inclined volume and includes all museum functions including maintenance, recording and storage of antiquities. The library is located in the listed building and expands to the lower level overlooking the water element.
The exhibition area as a single open space offers the ultimate flexibility in the organization of exhibits and the separation of archaeological periods. It is conceived as a neutral space structured with modern materials that will function as a backdrop from which antiquities emerge. The perimeter transparent casing of the external visor will filter intense Cyprus glare, and will allow the diffusion of sunlight in hand with the provided tall ceiling height and low partitions.
