fernando romero presents plans for elliptical mazatlan museum in mexico

fernando romero presents plans for elliptical mazatlan museum in mexico
all images courtesy of fernando romero enterprise

fernando romero enterprise (FR-EE) has presented plans for the ‘museo mazatlán’ in mexico, a cultural institution dedicated to the dissemination of local culture with a historical and anthropological perspective. while FR-EE are responsible for the project’s architecture, museology is headed by marinela servitje, director of siete colores ideas interactivas, an organization who specialize in the creation of interactive cultural infrastructure.

the building’s form references mazatlan’s alternative name – the ‘pearl of the pacific’

located in the port city of mazatlan, the structure’s shape references the region’s alternative name – the ‘pearl of the pacific’. the scheme integrates a geodesic dome in order to bring two contrasting environments together: the ground floor overlooking the upper level, and a park that offers views of the city and the sea. the design features a curved body, resembling an oyster with a pearl at its center.

the design features a curved body, resembling an oyster with a pearl at its center

in terms of materiality, the steel structure is clad with a material resistant to weather conditions, with small apertures filtering light inside the museum building. as the scheme is planned for a flood-prone area of land, the structure is set on an elevated base, with part of the façade incorporating photovoltaic panels.

small apertures in the roof canopy filter light inside the museum

internally, the main exhibition areas are found at the lower level, alongside an IMAX cinema capable of hosting up to 350 people. above, the first floor houses a temporary multi-thematic room, a restaurant, and access to the terrace. a upper storey is to be used as a documentation center, with classrooms for workshops and employee training. the construction of ‘museo mazatlán’ is set to get underway in 2016.

museology is headed by marinela servitje, director of siete colores ideas interactivas

floor plan / level 0

floor plan / level +1

floor plan / level +2