The requirement of a world class cultural centre and our desire to introduce a much needed public space to a war-ravaged city resulted in the creation of a hybrid structure that is part building and part infrastructure. The building is imagined as an element of circulation that traverses this two-level site interacting with the latter at various levels from the ground plane creating interesting and diverse interactions between building and landscape. The resulting spaces are then occupied by various museum programmes creating an interesting juxtaposition between institutional and free public space.
MATERIAL PALETTE
Compressed earth blocks using local stone and mud aggregate
Precast, pigmented concrete vaults for ceilings and walls
Local sandstone retaining walls and landscape elements Lapis lazuli colored handmade ceramic for water bodies