The classical collections of the Museum date from the prehistoric, to the Archaic, Classical, Hellenistic, Roman and
SPACE
&
UTILITY
up to late Antiquity periods. It was designed to feature all the collections from Ancient Greece, considered masterpieces, as one complete narrative of the Athenian Acropolis. The project focuses on 3 concepts: light-electricity, motion/ tectonic and programmatic enhancement. Material analysis
Axis asymmetry
Enclosed areas
Division in thirds
Semi-enclosed
Transfer of Artifacts:
Concrete
Main diagonal axis from the main entry
Open areas
September to December 2007
Low-iron glass
leading to the excavations site
Timber fittings
Beige marble
Dark marble
Limited viewing of installations: Winter 2008 Viewing opened to public: June 20, 2009
Programs & Spaces: •
A 250 m2 theater with 180 seats, translation booth and projections.
•
A 770 m2 cafe/restaurant opens onto a public terrace with views of the Acropolis. Shading devices are integrated, allowing for use during the day and night.
•
2 of 125 m2 shops located on level ‘0’ and second floor.
•
Landscaped with local flora eventually blends with the natural flora of the Acropolis. Essentially a public reactivated space and converges with the neighbourhood.
•
Access: Parking is not provided on site, but is available in
Second floor: Signage is designed to
Third floor: Panoramic views across the
the nearby neighbourhood. Public transit can be accessed
Facade
be subtle, so that wayfinding does
Acropolis and celebrating views of the
from northeast of Athens Metro’s Acropolis Stop.
not compete with artifact exhibits.
Parthenon from inside out.
First floor Structural columns
Circulation
Material changes from the dark marble
Access points on North and East sides.
to timber and beige also assists with guiding.
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Figure 11. Bernard Tschumi Architects. Exploded Axonometric sketch. 2012.
Figure 13. Shortle, Cathy. HDA Glass Design. 2009.
Similar to Scarpa’s interventions on the Castelvecchio, the New Acropolis Museum focuses on a
The
skin
Simplicity and lack of monumentality
play of light across the galleries to emphasize the narrative sequence between the installations.
facade with shading screens on exposed
was the focus of this design in order
However the difference between the two is that the Museum preserves these artifacts for the
elevations. The low-iron glass is used to
to showcase and emphasize on the
present audience and society to admire. The purpose of viewing such sculptures in modern
maintain colour integrity and dense black
remains of the former Museum’s
society compared to those in Castelvecchio, is that:
fritting is added for anti-glare. The glass
exhibits. The architecture extensively
For the New Acropolis- this tells a story of a society that focused on mathematical and
itself was integrated into the glass floors,
uses glass for external and internal
conceptual clarity and forward thinking at the time. It is a preservation of the past, for the
balustrades and skylights to allow for
treatments to represent preservation,
present society to gain insights from. It is a base to compare from and improve on what is
light and views down to the excavations
in encasing the installations and
currently occurring.
in the lower floor.
archaeological excavations.
detail
features
a
double
For the Castelvecchio- this showcases a set of monuments and sculptures that celebrate the Scaliger family, the higher-class rulers of society back then and not representing other classes included in the society itself accurately. Essentially it emphasizes on respect for the ruling power of higher-classes in their society back then.
Figure 11. Bernard Tschumi Architects. Exploded Axonometric sketch. 2009. https://arcspace.com/feature/new-acropolis-museum/ Figure 12. Bernard Tschumi Architects. Section. 2009. https://www.archdaily.com/61898/new-acropolis-museum-bernard-tschumi-architects Figure 13. Shortle, Cathy. HDA Glass Design. 2009. https://www.hda-paris.com/project/new-acropolis-museum-athens-greece/
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