A new look at Basque culture. Basque Museum Bilbao by Vaillo + Irigaray Architects
26/02/2022.
[Bilbao] Spain
metalocus, JAVIER ARIAS
metalocus, JAVIER ARIAS
Navarre-based practice Vaillo + Irigaray Architects, led by Antonio Vaíllo and Juan Luis Irigaray architects, was the winner in the contest to renovate the Basque Museum of Bilbao, (now it is in the process of renovation after the temporary closure of the museum on October 11th). Teamed with Jesús Moreno & Asociados, and MOEST Arquitectos, the design proposes the renovation on a set of several historical buildings of more than 8,000 square meter that make up the Basque Museum of Bilbao.
Bilbao Basque Museum was founded in 1921 and occupies the building known as the Colegio San Andrés de la Compañía de Jesús, which is built around a cloister, its date of construction dates back to the 17th century. Since the birth of the Museum, it was conditioned by having a reduced space for the exhibition of the collections. It is in 2009 when the call for a new Museological Plan for the Basque Museum with the aim of redefining the Museum is approved by means of a public tender.
Bilbao Basque Museum was founded in 1921 and occupies the building known as the Colegio San Andrés de la Compañía de Jesús, which is built around a cloister, its date of construction dates back to the 17th century. Since the birth of the Museum, it was conditioned by having a reduced space for the exhibition of the collections. It is in 2009 when the call for a new Museological Plan for the Basque Museum with the aim of redefining the Museum is approved by means of a public tender.
Rendering. Basque Museum Bilbao by Vaillo + Irigaray Architects
Rendering. Basque Museum Bilbao by Vaillo + Irigaray Architects
Rendering. Basque Museum Bilbao by Vaillo + Irigaray Architects
Rendering. Basque Museum Bilbao by Vaillo + Irigaray Architects
Rendering. Basque Museum Bilbao by Vaillo + Irigaray Architects
Rendering. Basque Museum Bilbao by Vaillo + Irigaray Architects
Rendering. Basque Museum Bilbao by Vaillo + Irigaray Architects
Rendering. Basque Museum Bilbao by Vaillo + Irigaray Architects
Model. Basque Museum Bilbao by Vaillo + Irigaray Architects
Sketch. Basque Museum Bilbao by Vaillo + Irigaray Architects
Ground floor plan. Basque Museum Bilbao by Vaillo + Irigaray Architects
First floor plan. Basque Museum Bilbao by Vaillo + Irigaray Architects
Second floor plan. Basque Museum Bilbao by Vaillo + Irigaray Architects
Longitudinal section. Basque Museum Bilbao by Vaillo + Irigaray Architects
Cross section. Basque Museum Bilbao by Vaillo + Irigaray Architects
Cross section. Basque Museum Bilbao by Vaillo + Irigaray Architects
Cross section. Basque Museum Bilbao by Vaillo + Irigaray Architects
Plz Unamuno elevation. Basque Museum Bilbao by Vaillo + Irigaray Architects
C/ María Muñoz elevation. Basque Museum Bilbao by Vaillo + Irigaray Architects
First floor plan. Basque Museum Bilbao by Vaillo + Irigaray Architects
Sections. Basque Museum Bilbao by Vaillo + Irigaray Architects
The proposal, led by Vaillo + Irigaray Architects, works on the historical constructions that form the current museum, reinstating the continuous longitudinal bay of the 17th-century building and tries to dignify the large cloister space as new hub of the exhibition space, linked to other four volumes connected by elements that facilitate the internal connection.
Timber will be the main new material on renovation, using it in a ‘hollow trunk’ structure in longitudinal bay and in restructuring the roof with large trusses.
The museum is scheduled to reopen in 2023, coinciding with the institution's centennial celebration. (The two previous museums merged into one in 1923, the Archaeological Museum of Vizcaya and the Basque Ethnographic Museum).
Timber will be the main new material on renovation, using it in a ‘hollow trunk’ structure in longitudinal bay and in restructuring the roof with large trusses.
The museum is scheduled to reopen in 2023, coinciding with the institution's centennial celebration. (The two previous museums merged into one in 1923, the Archaeological Museum of Vizcaya and the Basque Ethnographic Museum).
Project description by Vaillo + Irigaray Architects
The project proposes the action on a set of several historical buildings of more than 8,000 m² that make up the Basque Museum of Bilbao.
Recovery of the original structure of the historical building
The relevance of the original historical building is reinforced, recovering the continuous longitudinal corridor of the 17th century building. At the same time, the great space of the cloister is dignified as the true center of the exhibition space.
Connection of the 4 volumes
The image of 4 different buildings is preserved, but introduces elements of integration to favor maximum internal interrelation, in order to achieve maximum current and future functional flexibility.
Materials
The materiality of the new museum responds to the “tree · living organism” concept, the axis of the museum plan proposed in the competition rules. In this way, wood becomes the material reference element of the new restructuring, used extensively in the Basque construction tradition: farmhouses, boats, tools, etc. Wood condenses sustainable and bioclimatic reality.
Museography
The museum strategy is based on the correspondence between the contents and the container. The introduction of a wooden structure as a "hollow log" and the re-structuring of the roof with large wooden trusses recall both the construction of the farmhouse roofs and the construction of the ships.
Immersive experience: Atmospheres and Loopes
Museums usually have rooms where objects are exhibited under the same appearance, establishing a rigid and static relationship between space and content. In this case, each space is intended to host different "scenarios" in the form of the narrative loop. In such a way that the narration is varied and allows the multiplicity of stories in the same space.
More information
Architects
Design team
In collaboration with J. Moreno Asociados. MOEST Arquitectos.
Collaborators
Engineering.- JG Ingenieros.
Client
Bilbao Bizaia Museoak.
Area
8,000m².
Dates
2020 - 2023.
Renderings
Javier Oyanarte.
Antonio Vaíllo, Juan Luis Irigaray, Yago Vaíllo. Vaillo + Irigaray Architects
Vaillo + Irigaray Architects is an architecture firm founded in 1998 by Antonio Vaíllo and Juan Luis Irigaray, with Yago Vaíllo joining as a partner in 2020. It is located in Navarra, Spain.
Working method in the office is based on the concept of project strategy, which embraces the widest range of possible scales, from a simple bench to the whole city. It proposes a creative process that will develop founding concepts to be equally applied to management, procedures and design.
VAILLO+IRIGARAY ARCHITECTS conceive design from a multifocal perspective, so they deal with matters from diverse points of view to contribute unifying solutions.
Their source of inspiration is the project itself: the client, function, program, financial resources… are just raw materials to creativity. Consequently, every project has a unique personality, every project demands exclusive materials and details: every project requires an investigation process and a precise development, according to specific needs. The office structure is organized in 6 areas:
eLAB.- Experimental laboratory for basic creativity to explore urban, social, cultural needs. It is oriented to generate new patterns of interaction with the world of industry, architecture and art. I + D + i.- Innovation and research with the intention to face the needs in every project according to the world of industry, construction and arts and crafts. BRANDing 360°.- Platform to promote brand strategy as a 360º process. PROJECTS.-Area for design and definition of urban, architectural and industrial projects.
PROJECTS.- Area for design and definition of: Museums architecture, Museography, Interior design, Product design, Public architecture, Educational architecture, Housing, Health architecture, Offices architecture, Commercial architecture, Urban design, Industrial architecture. INTERNATIONAL.- We develop our international dimension associated with different architectural firms in Swizertland, Mexico and Israel. TEACHING.- Defenders of professional hybridization theory / practice, we combine the practice of architecture with the Teaching. Teachers in different Schools of Architecture and Guest Lecturers in different educational institutions to teach disciplines related to architecture, Innovation and Creativity. Regular lectures at several centers, institutions and groups.
AWARDS & PUBLICATIONS.- Their work has received numerous awards in national and international competitions both for formal and constructive quality. Their work is regularly published in the most important national and international media.
Jesús Moreno and Asociados
Jesús Moreno & Asociados was established as a studio of architectural and interior design in 1993. Due to its multidisciplinary nature, it employs professionals from a broad range of fields, including graphic design, industrial design, interior design, architecture and art history.
Since its creation it has specialised in the design and installation of temporary exhibitions and museum layout, having worked for some of the leading public and private institutions in Spain.
These include among others, the National Library, the Prado National Museum, the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum Foundation, the National Archaeological Museum, the Santander Foundation, the Mapfre Foundation, the Telefónica Foundation, the La Caixa Foundation, and the National Heritage.
Since its creation it has specialised in the design and installation of temporary exhibitions and museum layout, having worked for some of the leading public and private institutions in Spain.
These include among others, the National Library, the Prado National Museum, the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum Foundation, the National Archaeological Museum, the Santander Foundation, the Mapfre Foundation, the Telefónica Foundation, the La Caixa Foundation, and the National Heritage.
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