Spectacular Science

Besides an almost obvious need for an iconic representation, demystification of science and communication of the perpetual character of the scientific research were at the core of our attempts to conceptualize the building of the Science museum. We searched for a form that would increase museum’s exposure to the outside world and turn a visit to it into an almost cinematographic experience of all the key moments in a scientific research.

Balance between the two sides of science, theoretical and practical, is of the essential importance for defining its role in a society. Creating a framework for the inspiration of excellence while allowing for critical assessments of its values seem to be the key for the pursuit of this conviction. We wanted to escape a compact and introvert form believing that it would imply a self-referential nature of science and it’s exclusion from reality. Instead the concept introduces a subtle ascetic linear structure that is at the same time powerful and fragile, convincing and questionable, exact and elusive.

In order to land the building on the given site, its linear body was shaped so that the two main spatial conditions were reflected: the highway edging the building from the north-east side was countered with a long elevation, additionally supported by a strong and robust landscape design, while at the campus side, the building was bent and partly elevated, articulating the campus’ main plaza, highlighting the main entrance to the building and creating a representative public space in front of it.

Understanding the immense symbolic importance of the Museum for the nation struggling to get back from one of its most severe periods of stagnation, we believed that no compromise should have been made in regard to the quality of the architectural proposal. In order to face a low budget proposed by the brief we related the realization of the Museum to the development concept of the rest of the campus. The campus was therefore envisioned with a significant surplus of mix-use program, attractive for a variety of future investors, thus providing extra resources for high ambition and best quality in the realization of the Museum as one of the nation’s most important cultural institutions.