Bernard Tschumi - New Acropolis Museum

Bernard Tschumi
New Acropolis Museum
Athens, Greece

The design by Bernard Tschumi was selected as the winning project in the second competition for the design of the New Acropolis Museum.

Tschumi's design revolves around three concepts: light, movement, and a tectonic and programmatic element, which together "turn the constraints of the site into an architectural opportunity, offering a simple and precise museum" with the mathematical and conceptual clarity of ancient Greek buildings.

The new Acropolis Museum is under construction at the southern base of the Acropolis, at the ancient road that led up to the "sacred rock" in classical times.
Set only 800 feet from the legendary Parthenon, the museum will be the most significant building ever erected so close to the ancient temple.

Although the return of the Parthenon Marbles from the British Museum is not guaranteed, the design includes a rectangular glass gallery that will display the Parthenon Marbles with the precise geometry and harmonious dimensions of the columned Parthenon. Visitors to the museum will be able to see the Parthenon from the glass gallery.

The orientation of the Parthenon Marbles, which will be exactly as the Parthenon, and their siting will provide an appropriate context for understanding the accomplishments of the Parthenon complex itself.
The Parthenon Gallery will remain empty until the section of the original frieze still in the possession of the British Museum has been returned to Greece.

The visitor's route forms a clear three-dimension loop, affording an architectural promenade with a rich spatial experience extending from the archaeological excavations to the Parthenon Marbles and back through the Roman period.

The base of the museum contains an entrance lobby overlooking the Makriyianni excavations as well as temporary exhibition spaces, retail, and all support facilities.
There will also be a multimedia auditorium and a mezzanine bar and restaurant.

A wide ramp leads up to the second floor. Transparent sections in the ramp's floor allow visitors to gaze at the exposed archaeological remains below.

Along the sides of the ramp and as free-standing installations there will be artefacts recovered from the Sanctuary of the Nymphs, the Sanctuary of Asklepios, and elsewhere on the slopes of the Acropolis.

The middle is a large, double-height trapezoidal plate that accommodates all galleries from the Archaic period to the Roman Empire. There will also be a multimedia auditorium and a mezzanine bar and restaurant with views towards the Acropolis.

On top is the rectangular Parthenon Gallery around an outdoor court. The glass enclosure, with a direct view of the Acropolis above, is designed to protect against excess heat and provide ideal light for sculpture viewing.

The design also incorporates almost 2,200 square meters of 3rd, 4th and 7th century archaeological excavations on the building site into the fabric of the museum as an extended exhibit; the replication, as far as possible, of the natural light and atmospheric conditions within the
Museum as existed for the exhibits in their original; location on the Acropolis; the achievement of balance between the Museum's architecture and that of the Rock of the Acropolis, the heritage Weiler Building and the facade of the neighbouring Acropolis Metro Station and finally and most critically, the capacity for visitors to simultaneously view the Parthenon sculptures and the Parthenon and the Acropolis.

"It's a museum inside the city, so we would like to be able to combine the most up-to-date technology and ancient materials.
The two main materials are glass and marble. We will also use very beautiful pre-cast concrete. These materials are very respectful of the city of Athens as well as the Acropolis."
Bernard Tschumi

Completion is expected in time for the 2004 Olympic Games which will be held in Athens.
Completion is expected in time for the 2004 Olympic Games which will be held in Athens.

With these 3 lines:

Construction start is on hold:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3041595.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3160203.stm

Area: 21,000 square meters

Architects : Bernard Tschumi Architects

AR.SY. Architectural Cooperation Ltd
Civil Engineers : A.D.K. Aronis-Drettas-Karlaftis
Consulting Engineers S.A.
Engineering - Geostatics
Consulting Engineers
Mech. Engineers : MMB Design Group S.A.

The Hellenic Ministry of Culture
Parthenon 2004 Campaign

The artfully carved marbles, depicting gods, soldiers, animals and citizens in everyday life, sat atop the nearly 36-foot-high Doric columns as a decoration winding around the 200-foot-long, 90-foot-wide Parthenon.

The Parthenon Marbles, a series of seventeen marble sculptures and a 525-foot-long frieze depicting the gods and heroes of classical Athens, were removed from the Acropolis two centuries ago and are now on display in the British Museum. The Greeks hope the erection of the Acropolis Museum will help win back the artefacts.
The Marbles have been held in the British Museum since 1811.

Bernard Tschumi/Zenith De Rouen
Source Books in Architecture
By Bernard Tschumi, Todd Gannon, Laurie A. Gunzleman, Jeffrey Kipnis (Editor), Damasus A. Winzen

Source Books in Architecture is a new series focusing on new single works by significant architects. Sponsored by Ohio State University, the series reveals the architectural motivations and techniques behind each building. The Source Books document each work with sketches, models, renderings, working drawings, and photographs at a level of detail that allows complete and careful study of the project from its conception to the completion of design and construction--the musical score to the architect's symphony. The graphic component is accompanied by commentary from the architect and critics to further explore both the technical and cultural content of the work.
The intensity and timelessness of Bernard Tschumi/Zenith de Rouen provides a detailed presentation of Bernard Tschumi's recently completed concert hall and exhibition complex in Rouen, France.

The authors, Todd Gannon and Jeffrey Kipnis, teach at the Knowlton School of Architecture, Ohio State University.

Check the price at Amazon.com

Buy a book at Amazon.com through arcspace, and a small portion of the proceeds from your purchase will go to support our efforts to keep you informed.

INDEX Architecture:
A Columbia Architecture Book
By Bernard Tschumi & Matthew Berman
Publisher:MIT Press

INDEX Architecture documents the extensive cross-fertilization of ideas that can occur between architectural practice and education. Through work developed by students and faculty at Columbia University's School of Architecture, it offers not only an archive of avant-garde work but a record of architectural discourse at a time when the design studio has been radically altered by digital technology. Writings, interviews, and images are organized according to an alphabetical "index" of key terms. Cross-referencing allows for a rich reading of concepts currently discussed in the field.
The contributing critics and theorists include Stan Allen, Karen Bausman, Lise Anne Couture, Kathryn Dean, Evan Douglis, Kenneth Frampton, Leslie Gill, Thomas Hanrahan, Laurie Hawkinson, Steven Holl, Jeffrey Kipnis, Sulan Kolatan, Greg Lynn, William MacDonald, Reinhold Martin, Mary Mcleod, Victoria Meyers, Hani Rashid, Jesse Reiser, Bernard Tschumi, Nanako Umemoto, and Mark Wigley.

Check the price at Amazon.com

Buy a book at Amazon.com through arcspace, and a small portion of the proceeds from your purchase will go to support our efforts to keep you informed.

August 18, 2003





				Features
		Bernard Tschumi New Acropolis Museum Athens, Greece The design by Bernard Tschumi was selected as the winning project in the second competition for the design of the New Acropolis Museum. Tschumi's design revolves around three concepts: light, movement, and a tectonic and programmatic element, which together "turn the constraints of the site into an architectural opportunity, offering a simple and precise museum" with the mathematical and conceptual clarity of ancient Greek buildings. © Organization for the Construction of the New Acropolis Museum The new Acropolis Museum is under construction at the southern base of the Acropolis, at the ancient road that led up to the "sacred rock" in classical times. Set only 800 feet from the legendary Parthenon, the museum will be the most significant building ever erected so close to the ancient temple. © Organization for the Construction of the New Acropolis Museum Although the return of the Parthenon Marbles from the British Museum is not guaranteed, the design includes a rectangular glass gallery that will display the Parthenon Marbles with the precise geometry and harmonious dimensions of the columned Parthenon. Visitors to the museum will be able to see the Parthenon from the glass gallery. © Organization for the Construction of the New Acropolis Museum The orientation of the Parthenon Marbles, which will be exactly as the Parthenon, and their siting will provide an appropriate context for understanding the accomplishments of the Parthenon complex itself. The Parthenon Gallery will remain empty until the section of the original frieze still in the possession of the British Museum has been returned to Greece. The visitor's route forms a clear three-dimension loop, affording an architectural promenade with a rich spatial experience extending from the archaeological excavations to the Parthenon Marbles and back through the Roman period. © Organization for the Construction of the New Acropolis Museum The base of the museum contains an entrance lobby overlooking the Makriyianni excavations as well as temporary exhibition spaces, retail, and all support facilities. There will also be a multimedia auditorium and a mezzanine bar and restaurant. A wide ramp leads up to the second floor. Transparent sections in the ramp's floor allow visitors to gaze at the exposed archaeological remains below. © Organization for the Construction of the New Acropolis Museum © Organization for the Construction of the New Acropolis Museum Along the sides of the ramp and as free-standing installations there will be artefacts recovered from the Sanctuary of the Nymphs, the Sanctuary of Asklepios, and elsewhere on the slopes of the Acropolis. © Organization for the Construction of the New Acropolis Museum The middle is a large, double-height trapezoidal plate that accommodates all galleries from the Archaic period to the Roman Empire. There will also be a multimedia auditorium and a mezzanine bar and restaurant with views towards the Acropolis. On top is the rectangular Parthenon Gallery around an outdoor court. The glass enclosure, with a direct view of the Acropolis above, is designed to protect against excess heat and provide ideal light for sculpture viewing. © Organization for the Construction of the New Acropolis Museum The design also incorporates almost 2,200 square meters of 3rd, 4th and 7th century archaeological excavations on the building site into the fabric of the museum as an extended exhibit; the replication, as far as possible, of the natural light and atmospheric conditions within the Museum as existed for the exhibits in their original; location on the Acropolis; the achievement of balance between the Museum's architecture and that of the Rock of the Acropolis, the heritage Weiler Building and the facade of the neighbouring Acropolis Metro Station and finally and most critically, the capacity for visitors to simultaneously view the Parthenon sculptures and the Parthenon and the Acropolis. "It's a museum inside the city, so we would like to be able to combine the most up-to-date technology and ancient materials. The two main materials are glass and marble. We will also use very beautiful pre-cast concrete. These materials are very respectful of the city of Athens as well as the Acropolis." Bernard Tschumi Completion is expected in time for the 2004 Olympic Games which will be held in Athens. Completion is expected in time for the 2004 Olympic Games which will be held in Athens. With these 3 lines: Construction start is on hold: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3041595.stm http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3160203.stm Area: 21,000 square meters Architects : Bernard Tschumi Architects AR.SY. Architectural Cooperation Ltd Civil Engineers : A.D.K. Aronis-Drettas-Karlaftis Consulting Engineers S.A. Engineering - Geostatics Consulting Engineers Mech. Engineers : MMB Design Group S.A. The Hellenic Ministry of Culture Parthenon 2004 Campaign The artfully carved marbles, depicting gods, soldiers, animals and citizens in everyday life, sat atop the nearly 36-foot-high Doric columns as a decoration winding around the 200-foot-long, 90-foot-wide Parthenon. The Parthenon Marbles, a series of seventeen marble sculptures and a 525-foot-long frieze depicting the gods and heroes of classical Athens, were removed from the Acropolis two centuries ago and are now on display in the British Museum. The Greeks hope the erection of the Acropolis Museum will help win back the artefacts. The Marbles have been held in the British Museum since 1811. Bernard Tschumi/Zenith De Rouen Source Books in Architecture By Bernard Tschumi, Todd Gannon, Laurie A. Gunzleman, Jeffrey Kipnis (Editor), Damasus A. Winzen Source Books in Architecture is a new series focusing on new single works by significant architects. Sponsored by Ohio State University, the series reveals the architectural motivations and techniques behind each building. The Source Books document each work with sketches, models, renderings, working drawings, and photographs at a level of detail that allows complete and careful study of the project from its conception to the completion of design and construction--the musical score to the architect's symphony. The graphic component is accompanied by commentary from the architect and critics to further explore both the technical and cultural content of the work. The intensity and timelessness of Bernard Tschumi/Zenith de Rouen provides a detailed presentation of Bernard Tschumi's recently completed concert hall and exhibition complex in Rouen, France. The authors, Todd Gannon and Jeffrey Kipnis, teach at the Knowlton School of Architecture, Ohio State University. Check the price at Amazon.com Buy a book at Amazon.com through arcspace, and a small portion of the proceeds from your purchase will go to support our efforts to keep you informed. INDEX Architecture: A Columbia Architecture Book By Bernard Tschumi & Matthew Berman Publisher:MIT Press INDEX Architecture documents the extensive cross-fertilization of ideas that can occur between architectural practice and education. Through work developed by students and faculty at Columbia University's School of Architecture, it offers not only an archive of avant-garde work but a record of architectural discourse at a time when the design studio has been radically altered by digital technology. Writings, interviews, and images are organized according to an alphabetical "index" of key terms. Cross-referencing allows for a rich reading of concepts currently discussed in the field. The contributing critics and theorists include Stan Allen, Karen Bausman, Lise Anne Couture, Kathryn Dean, Evan Douglis, Kenneth Frampton, Leslie Gill, Thomas Hanrahan, Laurie Hawkinson, Steven Holl, Jeffrey Kipnis, Sulan Kolatan, Greg Lynn, William MacDonald, Reinhold Martin, Mary Mcleod, Victoria Meyers, Hani Rashid, Jesse Reiser, Bernard Tschumi, Nanako Umemoto, and Mark Wigley. Check the price at Amazon.com Buy a book at Amazon.com through arcspace, and a small portion of the proceeds from your purchase will go to support our efforts to keep you informed. August 18, 2003