zU-studio proposes triangle structure for new york's liberty museum

for the LIBERTY MUSEUM NEW YORK: freedom to the people competition, zU-studio — a young international office based in amsterdam — has proposed a triangular structure that aims to result in a building with the right spaces for its visitors to experiment with and explore the concepts of body, mind and spirit. the design process began with the definition of liberty: the ability to decide consciously, honestly, authentically and with integrity how we want to act in every moment, without being controlled or constrained by any other person or circumstance.

perspective view

human beings experience freedom through three different channels: body, mind and soul. when balance between these three is right, we are closer to awareness, consciousness and inner peace. these feelings are directly related to love, both individual and collective. consciousness is an essential state for a human being to experience individual freedom. compassion, comprehension, tolerance and respect are the necessary ingredients for humanity to develop as a society. with all this in mind, zU-studio’s proposal aims to create the right atmosphere to welcome visitors and to invite them to think and reflect about freedom. how do we experience freedom and how can they help build free communities in their own environment.

interior view

the triangle-shaped structure’s reason is because, in mathematics, this is the symbol of ideal proportions. in geometry, an equilateral triangle is one in which all its three sides are equal. sexuality, gender and race equality will be represented by the triangular building. two arcs embrace as a symbol of unity, compassion and engagement. the main structure of the building will be established by these two arcs, which will connect the different parts of the program through the spiral ramps. the space generated within the arcs will be the heart of the project: the awareness space — where the most impressive exhibitions and performances will take place. this is the place where all the visitors will be invited to think about the concept and the real meaning of freedom through the different activities.

lights and shadows play inside the museum throughout the day

the program will be divided in three parts: body, mind, spirit. the body part will host workshops, exhibitions, lectures, yoga/meditation sessions, dancing lessons… it will invite people to explore and experiment with their bodies. the mind part will create a space for discussion, debates, and expression of ideas and thoughts through different mediums. the spirit part will create a peaceful, quiet space for people to connect with themselves on a deeper level. the idea of verticality will be represented through a big chimney that will emanate peace, love and respect rather than polluting substances.

view from the water

the program is spread into three different floors. the ground floor is open and transparent on all the three sides of the triangle. the project proposes to create a public plaza to welcome visitors as they arrive to the island by boat. the main entrance will be in the corner facing this new public square. the reception and an information point, a café with unique views of manhattan, a shop and a library will complete the distribution of this floor. on the first and second floor, the program will include different exhibition spaces and an auditorium. the rooftop will be open to the public and will be an important part of the building with impressive views of the statue of liberty, manhattan and new jersey.

axonometric view with spatial organization

moving through the building will be interesting because of the diversity of paths the visitor can take. the central ramps will connect all the different spaces, but the spaces will be also connected through a perimetral route. the experience of the visitors will be well organized but at the same time completely unpredictable and full of surprises. people will discover new paths, new visuals, new relations between spaces as they walk through/around the building.

concept diagrams referring to the triangular resulting shape

the building aims to become a symbol/landmark of respect, love and tolerance but the main goal of this building is to become an inspiring space to dream, to believe, to visualize and to keep building a beautiful and respectful world together. the architecture’s mission in this case is to build the right spaces where humans can experiment with and explore these concepts in a deeper way. 

ground floor plan

first floor plan

second floor plan

project info:

team: zU-studio
architects: javier zubiria, ander barandiaran

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: juliana neira | designboom

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