Eroded Museum Proposal

2013
Guatemala City, Guatemala
Lead Designer at OverUnder

Museo Maya de América Phase One

The Museo Maya de América will hold the largest collection of Mayan art and artifacts in the world upon completion. Originally commissioned in 2012, the project has gone through two major re-designed based on scope changes and changes in the museum’s operating mission. This scheme was developed during the first Concept Design phase in 2012.

Inspired by the structural erosion of nearby temples along their corners, this scheme proposes a large assembly of blocks that erode towards the high-traffic corner of the site. This breakdown in scale provides an equal relationship between indoor and outdoor galleries; all united under a common canopy. Two major features hold the eroded blocks together. The first is three vertical green walls that structurally support the monolithic roof with occupiable planted gallery space. The second is two opposing bands of circulation along the northern and southern edges of the building. This scheme was developed through Concept Design but was later re-designed in 2013 due to major scope changes.

Role: As the lead designer, I worked with the principal in charge and a small team to develop this conceptual design.