007 Nature, Science and Thecnology Museum, Jerusalem


Isometric Form

Can we undermine the dichotomy between the artificial and the natural? Can one create a museum that will live in harmony with nature? Is it possible to blur the boundary between a museum and nature?

We propose a new concept for the museum complex, one that challenges the separation between museum and nature, between the building and its surroundings. For us the two are envisioned as mutually interdependent, the museum and the park are intertwined as one experience and thus the museum is integrated in the green, open space of nature offering an array of activities.

Our approach in designing the museum complex is to create a series of pavilions scattered in the park in a way that encourages the experience of the exhibition to be shared not only with the visitors of the museum but also to the pedestrians passing by, and the residents of the city. The pavilions are connected via a continuous, partly Science submerged floor level facing the museum boulevard, preserving the spirit of the place and its identity while enriching it with a cultural program.

This proposal generates a design where both the museum and nature are borderless and open – inviting the passers-by and citizens to take part in its activities. The museum becomes a continuous walk in the park for the visitors, providing a clear circulation scheme, and the choice to partake in a diversity of curatorial options, and a variety of narratives and scenarios offered by the museum. This kind of architecture will ensure an affinity between the interior of the museum and the outside – to nature, Jerusalem, the Museum Complex and “Givat Ram” campus in particular. The connection between the museum complex, with its natural/urban environment, will encourage the living creatures and vegetation around it t become part of the exhibition experience and the outdoor areas to become truly dynamic interactive public spaces.

Location:
Jerusalem, Israel
Program:
22,000 m2 including: Musem and exhibition spaces, Education Facilities, and Auditorium.
Year:
2012
Status:
International Competition
Collaborators:
Zarhy Architects
Date: January 05, 2013