Location: Buenos Aires Type: Contemporary Art Museum Design: Competition entry 2012
Puerto Madero became Buenos Aires second major gateway to trade with Europe when it was built in 1980, replacing La Bocas port in term of importance. The cranes connected people of Buenos Aires to the rest of the world (wikipedia). In Argentina the word tango seems to has first being used in the 1890’s. The Puente de la Mujer Bridge is a signature landmark that not only improves pedestrian circulation through the city but also enables the continual flow of water traffic. Uniting the plazas on either side of Puerto Madero’s embankment, the 102 meter cable – stayed bridge has the ability to rotate 90 degrees, providing the free passage of boats and serving as a symbol of the city’s harbor renewal (S. Calatravas site).
Connecting the two elements . Observing the complex across the canal, the new MoCA’s boundaries are clearly defined by the adjacent buildings. The north and south facade of the museum are “reflecting” the shape of the Mujer bridge and the cranes. Connecting and twisting the two opposite sides, creates the buildings form. The building exceeds the adjacent buildings, increasing the passages complexity and connecting to the origins of its form. The enclosed space is mainly lighted from the central gallery. The 12m high gallery works as an atrium for the entire building, while the rest of the spaces refer to it. A reference to the Mujer Bridge is created at the entrance of the museum with an emerging ramp connecting the visitors with the world of art. The atrium is covered with water, referring to the canals view from the open space area at the top of the building.
