Kengo Kuma’s proposal for The National Archaeological Museum in Athens, Greece, aims to draw attention to the importance of science in archaeology, the value of its collections, and the fundamental role and character of the museum in the present and the future. As the memory of the museum is traced back, words in acts of burying, concealing, and revealing begin to emerge. These three words are pivotal transitional moments that help shape the museum into what it is today and pave the way for its future application.
In its proposal, Kengo Kuma suggests that the museum should become a journey of spatial and sensory experiences that would communicate its narratives instead of creating an iconic architectural object or mass in a formal architectural gesture. Since the proposed extension of the museum is underground, the design proposal is discreet and understated. Moreover, the typology is generated by simple, subtle gestures the studio identifies as “unearthing.” Lifting the earth symbolizes the revealing of buried artifacts and treasure troves and the unlocking of frozen memories.
The Slit-like opening created by lifting the earth will evoke curiosity, drawing visitors into the profound spacious underground realm, reflecting the proof of finding, submerging, and maneuvering among artifacts in their buried state. Furthermore, the lifted earth is designed to host a lush, green, suspended garden for the entirety of the museum site. The Museum Garden is designed at the elevation of the existing building's ground floor entry to guarantee smooth accessibility. While two side streets slope downward towards the wide boulevard, the garden on the raised plane stretches horizontally at the same level. The slit, or gap between the roof slab and the entry level of the boulevard, is naturally produced by this straightforward leveling technique. The height of the roof is kept as low as possible from the street level to stay humble and scaled to the human body.
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Kengo Kuma Wins Competition to Design the New Kamal TheatreThe slit-like opening is now the NAM's new entrance, providing a singular feeling of approach and drawing people to the start of the underground exhibition journey. The spatial journey through the museum would be sensory in nature, embraced by the earthy, tactile texture of the envelope. Moreover, a light gradient would be washed away from the outdoors, transitioning into the subterranean experience. The slit continues throughout the perimeter, allowing a controlled and curated portion of natural light into the museum, accentuating the quality of the artifacts.
Archeology museums are designed to host a culture’s heritage, giving visitors access to untold stories. Last month, David Chipperfield was selected as the competition winner to design the National Archaeological Museum in Athens. Similarly, Adjaye Associates revealed their preliminary design for the Edo Museum of West African Art in Nigeria and Heneghan Peng Architects designed the Grand Egyptian Museum in Egypt, accommodating some of humanity’s most precious artifacts.
Teams
Lead Design Architect: Kengo Kuma And Associates
Yuki Ikeguchi, partner in charge
Yasemin Sahiner
Nicolas Guichard
Sara Mucciola
Jeanne Krings
Executive Architect: K‐Studio
Dimitris Karampatakis
Giorgos Mitrogiorgis
Konstantina Mavridou
Katerina Paitazoglou
Greta Davetta
Georgina Erotokritou
Dimitra Vasileiadou
Georgia Mouratidou
Foteini Kontoleon
Lina Kantere
Engineer/ Structure, MEP & Sustainability: Buro Happold
Anna Wendt
Florian Foerster
Sabine Mueller
Neil Francis
Gencay Tatlidamak
Peter Goff
Landscape Architect: MASU Planning
Sune Oslev
Malin Blomqvist
Gauthier Durey
Videographer: AVH. Atelier Vincent Hecht
Vincent Hecht
3D Visualisation: Observations
Michail Kafasis
