Competition Pier Museum 2009 – Miami

BLOODLINE

“…It is so terrible to see one’s blood all over the floor. A fountain that runs through in a minute, and it cost us years. When I got to see my son, he was lying down in the middle of the street. I moistened my hands with blood and I licked them with my tongue. Because it was mine. You don’t know what that means. In a crystal and topazes custody, I would put the earth soaked with it. And it is in a crystal custody that the museum emerges like a shelter from the earth’s pain when seeing its children leave in search of dreams of freedom.

A HUB FOR CULTURE

The museum consists of a crystal prism, which has public circulation and recreational functions like an access hall, a multifunction room and a bar. Besides, it has a morphologically organic area, which reflects the Latin American culture. In this area, there are functions such as an exhibition hall and a library. As for the exhibition halls, it is vital to take into account the way light is handled, thus, it was designed with a light controlled from the inside. The amoeba is partially contained by the prism, symbolizing both the Americans’ protection of the immigrant and the freedom achieved by the Latin spirit.

SUSTAINABILITY AND DESIGN

The project demands the use of energy intended for refrigeration, in order to avoid the greenhouse effect inside the prism. For this purpose, it has technology that enables to save that energy. This is achieved by the injection of air from the outside, in the water taken from the bottom of the sea placed in the lower level of the building, allowing a forced circulation of air. This is how warm air leakage is generated through ceiling ventilation, thus providing a sense of comfort and reducing energy consumption. In addition, the museum obtains solar energy through photovoltaic panels, placed in the ceiling, working as a blackout system.