Design

The proposal seeks to create an environment that inspires curiosity by playing with one’s perception of space, shape, and interiority. The mechanism for achieving this is the use of six conical ‘anamorphic projections’ that cut through the building’s mass to organize programmatic activities and create sequences of experience that alternate between spatial ambiguity and clarity. As one circulates in and around the cones, programmatic relationships shift and realign to suggest thematic overlap: activities for science, ecology, theater, performance, home, and body can be seen adjacent to one another in a variety of ways as determined by one’s path and view through the projections. Additionally, wearable tech (such as wristbands distributed at ticketing) allow visitors to activate and engage with ever-changing digital media along the museum’s surfaces.  As a core value, the project views public space as an integral part of the museum’s educational mission. Thus, the mass is raised to create ground-level programmable spaces for outdoor gathering. Free and open to the public, these spaces invite the visitor up an initial entry ramp into a large semi-enclosed lobby on the second floor where one is welcome to explore views of the building’s interior before entering ticketed zones. These public spaces offer a unique opportunity for the museum to engage a wide range of participants, and help delineate connections between the site’s various elements.