Unusual Architecture + museum

“An underground museum that integrates the latest green technologies into the building and aims for a user-generated experience.

Scheduled to open in winter 2012, The Papalote Verde Children’s Museum, located in Monterrey, Mexico will be an interactive and innovative museum that integrates the latest green technology into a bold and radical architecture.

In this project the concept of a ”museum” is addressed from an entirely new perspective, as the building itself becomes part of the learning experience.

A museum is usually conceived as series of rooms explaining different subjects and following a rigid sequence.

In this case the core subject is present and dealt with throughout the entire museum and understood in different contexts thus enabling the visitor to build his own path.

The project explores two main strategies, one the restoration of existing buildings on site and two, the underground construction of a new building.

The underground space reduces impact on the environment to a minimum and avoids conflict with the functioning of Parque Fundidora by disappearing inside the landscape.

The restoration of two exiting industrial structures of the old Fundidora steel mill helps introduce a new program into an under-used space and improve its current condition. It is expected to become Mexico’s first LEED Platinum certificate.” Iñaki Echeverría Location: ”Parque Fundidora” in Monterrey, Nuevo LeonConstruction: 2011-2013Project: 2008-2011Site Area: 9,908.00 mq.Project Area: 15,920.00 mq.