Our concept seeks to guide people through a museum of extinctions, from ancient archaea, through the dinosaurs to the devastation of the anthropocene. Mimicking a cave, the journey elicits mythic tales of travelling to the underworld. A glass walkway guides visitors over the exhibits of fossils and taxidermied specimens. Angular forms reflect the violence of extinction, evoking the shockwave of a meteor impact or a volcanic eruption.
Mesh manipulation
Computationally we utilize mesh manipulation to achieve our form. Initially designating the footprint of the structure with a carefully regulated and ordered grid comprising the basis of our starting mesh. The points are selected as anchors or weights, moving from a regular grid to a random selection. Kangaroo is then used to solve the form providing a complex network of catenary curves pushing both upward and downward to create a vaulted space for the museum.
Starting from a focal point we derive a circular path, which is then broken and connected to the walking path at the south east of the site. The path is pushed upwards to provide visitors with a grand view at the end of the museum of the sanctuary of the Agnano volcano in busy Naples.
Initial Concept Sketches
Our initial concept took visitors below ground to literally experience the underworld, before arising on the island situated on the middle of the lake and then returning to shore. As the design progressed we abandoned the below ground component as we moved to an open concept which precluded a subterranean space, instead achieving our cave inspired form above ground.
Computational Design Methodology
Initialized from a focal point in the center of the lake, the structure is developed from a circle centered at this point, and then connecting points that are located on the walking paths of the site. From there the footprint is generated by offsetting the curves and adding an incline to produce a spiral.
Form Finding Process.
The base footprint is used to generate a quad mesh with ordered vertices. From here the selection of anchors and weights progresses from regular to chaotic along the museum path, representing the endless march of entropy.
Form Iterations
Kangaroo particle physics solver was used to generate the form by lifting anchor points up and applying weights at the column positions. The process is reversed to form the lower mesh where the exhibits will be installed.
Section View
Interior View
Video Render
