"Estratos" entry by  Barcelona-based architecture studio Mendoza Partida, directed by the Mexicans Héctor Mendoza and Mara Partida, was selected as the winner in the ideas competition to build the new headquarters of the Museum of Prehistory and Archeology of Cantabria (MUPAC) in Santander, Spain.

The new museum in the city of Cantabria will have 18,441 square meters built, of which 7,500 will be destined for an administrative building of the Government of Cantabria, linked to the museum building itself.

The work is expected to be tendered between December 2021 and April 2022, beginning execution in May 2022.
The proposal presented by Mendoza Partida a has been valued by the jury for its uniqueness, compliance with the museum's needs and the administrative building, in addition to maintaining a successful dialogue with the Santander urban context, it seeks representativeness with a friendly and sensitive volume to the environment, and reduces the impact "of construction compared to other projects.

The elevation to Casimiro Sáinz street is fragmented into strips, like strata, with a system of staggered bars that adapt to urban restrictions, generating two independent access squares to the Museum and the administrative building.

On the first floor of access to the museum, services such as a cafeteria, restaurant, shop and multipurpose room are contemplated, in addition to the library. Likewise, the building will have two more floors that will house the permanent exhibition and a temporary exhibition room with a terrace overlooking the Bay of Santander.
 

Descripción del proyecto por Mendoza Partida

El nuevo edificio para el MUPAC (Museo de Prehistoria y Arqueología de Cantabria) y el Espacio Administrativo, se presenta como un polo de atracción para los visitantes, uniéndose naturalmente a la secuencia de espacios urbanos representativos en Santander a nivel de la ciudad (Palacio de Festivales, Museo Marítimo , Centro Botín, Biblioteca Central, entre otros).

El sitio es un lugar privilegiado en la ciudad de Santander, pero complejo en términos de condiciones urbanas. Tiene una topografía difícil y necesita responder a cuatro frentes urbanos diferentes. Un contexto urbano heterogéneo: por un lado, una ciudad consolidada, un tejido urbano medio y continuo y, por otro, grandes bloques aislados, alturas desproporcionadas y secciones irregulares de calles, algunas incluso angustiantes.

Es una trama que adquiere una gran dimensión porque es el resultado de la adición de tres cuadras de la ciudad y debido a las directrices urbanas oficiales sugeridas por el PGOU, junto con el requisito del ambicioso programa del MUPAC y el Espacio Administrativo, existe un presente riesgo de convertirse en un volumen de masividad exagerada que amenaza la sensibilidad, la escala y la sutileza del entorno inmediato.

El sistema
Surge una nueva geometría, un nuevo volumen que abarca el extenso programa de manera eficiente y responde a las condiciones del contexto, con un solo objetivo: "hacer la ciudad" en los cuatro frentes. Para esto, se propone un sistema de bares o bahías urbanas. Un sistema que dialoga con el grano medio del medio ambiente. Un sistema que, sin renunciar a la singularidad o gran presencia que tendría una nueva forma, es sensible a las diferentes condiciones del contexto. Horizontalmente, las bahías cambian la alineación relativa a sus respectivos frentes de calles para acomodar espacios urbanos representativos y amigables que ofrecen accesos claros y diferenciados a ambos, al museo y al espacio administrativo. Verticalmente, el nuevo edificio es capaz de dar continuidad en la sección al escalonar la altura de los bares urbanos "en una dinámica creciente". Este asombroso también permite una quinta fachada, "el techo" como un nuevo espacio público habitable que favorece el uso de las vistas únicas del lugar.

El matiz
El sistema de barras inclina las terminaciones de la barra (techos y fachadas) para dar direccionalidad en los flujos, identificar accesos y generar o enfatizar la presencia pública. Este matiz ofrece la posibilidad de apropiarse de los espacios exteriores con una secuencia de gestos que abarcan el espacio público y, en forma de embudo, atraen a los visitantes a sus interiores.

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Architects
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Area
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Built area.- 19,200 sqm
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Budget
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€31,000,000
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Competition
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2020_1st prize winner.
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Programme
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Museum of Prehistory and Archaeology of Cantabria and Administrative Space
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Mendoza Partida is an international architecture practice based in Barcelona, the product of the symbiosis and connection between Héctor Mendoza and Mara Partida.

Héctor Mendoza. PhD in Architectural Design (UPC Cum Laude), M.Arch. AA Achitectural Association School of Architecture, London. Architecture Degree ITESO, Guadalajara, Mexico. Founding Partner of MENDOZA PARTIDA Architecutal Studio based in Barcelona (before MX_SI)

Vice Dean at ETSAB UPC since 2018, and Lecturer at the Architectural Representation Department since 2008. Guest Faculty at different international universities, like DRURY in Missouri USA, UACJ in Ciudad Juarez, or the CHINA ACADEMY of ARTS in Hangzhou directed by Professor Wang Shu.

Before founding his own studio with Mara Partida, he gained experience at well known architecture studios like Massimiliano Fuksas in Rome, Mateo Architects in Barcelona, Brissac Gonzalez in London, and Op Team in Barcelona.

Mara Partida. PhD in Architectural Design (UPC Cum Laude), M.Arch. AA Achitectural Association School of Architecture, London. Architecture Degree ITESO, Guadalajara, Mexico. Founding Partner of MENDOZA PARTIDA Architecutal Studio based in Barcelona (before MX_SI)

Mara combines his professional activity with academic work and research. She is Lecturer at the Architectural Design Department at ETSAB UPC since 2008, and she has been appointed Guest Faculty at different international universities, like DRURY in Missouri USA, UACJ in Ciudad Juarez, or the CHINA ACADEMY of ARTS in Hangzhou directed by Professor Wang Shu.

Mara obtained the Conacyt scholarship in 1999 for PostGraduate studies at the Architectural Association in London and UPC in Barcelona. Before founding her own practice, she collaborated with Architect Ricardo Legorreta in Mexico City, and with Del Campo Montoliu Architects in Barcelona.
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Published on: July 9, 2020
Cite: "Mendoza Partida winners in the ideas contest of the MUPAC of Cantabria" METALOCUS. Accessed
<https://www.metalocus.es/en/news/mendoza-partida-winners-ideas-contest-mupac-cantabria> ISSN 1139-6415
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