Arrow Icon

Museum of Memory

Year
2016
Location
Bogotá, Colombia
Client
Competition - Alcaldía Mayor de Bogotá
AREA
16,000 SM / 172,000 SF

The National Museum of Memory was conceived by the government of Colombia to commemorate the country's recent history of violence, to document the history of the conflict and to provide a place of dignity, memory and mourning for all citizens.

The context of the museum is a chaotic, busy, loud enviroment - near downtown, located between three major avenues: Calle 26, Carrera 40 and the Avenida de las Américas and adjacent to the City Council Square in Bogotá. The total area for the project is 16,000 SM (172,000 SF).  The program includes an Atrium, an auditorium with seating for 500 spectators, six exhibition rooms, two parking basements, and spaces for mourning and reflection. Amidst a crowded and busy context - incompatible with the project's purpose - the building seeks to isolate itself from its surroundings, and inside the Museum, the only connection to the exterior are the views of the sky.

Project picture
Made with pride
The Museum is a solemn memorial for a country united by the hope of peace - and a permanent reminder of what cannot be forgotten.
Diagrams
Diagrams
Floor Plans 01
Floor Plans 01
Floor Plans 02
Floor Plans 02
Sections
Sections
Site Plan
Site Plan

The project is accessed underground, by descending through a reflecting pool, and it's organized as a circulation circuit along six different spaces - each one a triangle, each one with a gallery space. The relationship with the sky is emphasized by the use of reflecting pools in contrast with the austere nature of the volumes and the simple material palette. A mourning garden, fully planted with elephant grass, is the terminus of a circuit that ascends from the underground atrium to the rooftop, close to the sky.

This design proposal received an AIA Merit Award in 2016.

Design
Construction
Photographs

Related projects