Bamiyan Cultural Centre | Antao progetti

The building design comes from conscious choices about architectural elements, shapes, materials, insulation, energy supply, natural lighting, plants, landscape design. Historically this place was an important trade center on the ancient Silk Road, connecting the Mediterranean to China, along the Bamiyan river. Both the river and the Silk Road have been the two main features which inspired us the building concept. The slope of the building rising from 4 to 10 meters high is designed to minimize the visual impact in the surrounding context, it perfectly lays between the two levels of the plateau. Visual integration is enabled using respectful materials and colors, recalling landscape elements. East and west elevations are modeled on the scheme of a typical carved rock, traced on the Buddha cliff geometric layout. The artificial caves in the cliff become small and different windows on the walls, reflecting the sharp cut cliff honeycombed with its caves. The bright sandy color of this historical valley becomes the main color of the whole complex. The simple frame of the reinforced concrete structure is cladded with local stone blocks and the roof is covered with pebbles. Afghan country is a multi-cultural cradle of Central Asia with the very important mission to build the new multi-ethnic, multi-lingual society, a place for interchange of human values, vital center for sharing ideas, experiences and culture. The building lays on the flat site facing the Buddha Cliff, inscribed into the Unesco World Heritage list, and wants to remark cultural identity and its role in shaping the future of this nation. The unique and compact body made of stone blocks, receives, from outside, a special flow of natural elements along its shape as an interior court filled with water and vegetation. The inner court feature comes from traditional Afghan architecture, made of inner courtyards to extend the space of sociability beyond the built structure. Green and water flowing recall the idea of the Bamiyan river, and the riverbanks are made of pressed mud and gravel. This space is always visible while walking along the connection spaces of the Cultural Center. The internal view on the inner court is characterized by a semi-transparent wooden screen, patterned with typical geometric shapes paired to the glass windows. The screen functions as solar protection during summer season but also as an aesthetic inner décor filtering and coloring daily sunlight. The one story building plan develops at the same level of the outdoor space to guarantee accessibility to all the areas. The main public entrance, on the west front, is emphasized by lifting the stone wall façade rising from the ground and creating a covered “portico”. This is the only interior view visible from outside, facing the public area of the tea room, lobby, bookshop and part of the exhibition space. The reception area is provided with public restrooms and leads, through the inner connection court, to all the public area, the exhibition spaces, tea-room and bookshop, performance hall, workshop and research center, classrooms. This court continues into the private spaces, administration office and conference room also provided with a private entrance on the north side of the building. The exhibition spaces are connected to the main entrance and split into two different but always connected areas. The main space, dedicated to a permanent exhibition about ethnographic and historical Afghan collection is on the West side. Natural daylight flows inside this 300 m2 space through different square shaped skylights. The boardwalk connects to the 150 m2 space, dedicated to temporary exhibitions. A 200 seats performance hall is designed like a flexible space. Seats can move down inside a special hole in the floor equipped with an automated and quick system which allows to transform the flat floor into a fully raked and seated auditorium. This is the way for improving socialization and guaranteeing various approaches to the different cultural events. Sustainability is the basic design concept of the new cultural center. Considering the difficult climate situation of this location the first aim is to create an independent and self-sufficient organism. Walls, roof and glass sections have a high performance insulation system in order to achieve the highest indoor comfort with the lowest energy expense.