SCIENCE CITY | YTAU Architecture Urbanisme

The competition for the reconstruction of the Naples Science Centre offers many opportunities. Thus, the ambition associated with this project will enhance the attractiveness and visibility of the Sciences Centre, Naples and Campania, but also amplify the Bagnoli development dynamics and finally optimize the operation of Science Centre. Our architectural proposal of Science Ring responds to these challenges.

Inaugurated in 1996, the Naples City of Sciences was destroyed by fire on the night of March 4, 2013. Visited annually by hundreds of thousands of people, it was one of the two major science museums of Italy and among the most important of southern Europe.

A ring to unify the City of Sciences
The Science City is today as a large tray on which different functions are distributed whose cohesion does not seem optimal. The project is an opportunity to reconfigure the site to improve overall functioning. This consideration led us out of the grip of the building specifications. Thus, the Ring of Sciences extends from either side of Via Coroglio to amplify the functional connections and foster a collaborative operation of the Science and Technology Division of the Science City.

Science City, a metropolitan public space on the Puozzoli Golf
At the same time, we propose to reveal the potential of leisure and recreation of the site. Lifting up from the ground, the new City of Science generates a large open space wide opened on the Puozzoli Golf. This public space will be led by a refreshment bar, a library, a museum shop, a fablab and become a true metropolitan equipment connected to the network of public spaces of the future Bagnoli. Neapolitan it wander, discover the open exhibition or enjoy fun and festive events scheduled throughout the year.

Science City, an urban museum
Our proposal simply and effectively divided the various functions of the museum building on the existing situation. The main access of the site and the ticket remains before the Corporea and the path of knowledge is still the input sequence of Science City via the Place of the chimney. The museum program invested in some of the existing and create new spaces. Thus, the general store retains its premises which may be the subject of a renovation to an existing building houses a multipurpose area. The Ring of Sciences offers for its space tailored to the needs of a museum of contemporary science.

The ring of Sciences, a modern museum tool
A monumental staircase associated with escalators allows the ascent to the main museum space of the Cité des Sciences housed in the Science Oval. Dialogue with industrial buildings Bagnoli, the Ring of Science offers a space of type « hall » and focuses on functionality and efficiency in the service of the museum. This neutral circular space easily adapts to the museum program of the competition to offer light conditions and specific spaces. This flexible architecture guarantees ease of operation, durability of the equipment, and the relevance of the investment.

The ring of Sciences, an experimental object
While openly wearing his construction principle or technical networks, the architecture of the Science Ring stimulates curiosity and experimentation, becoming the first museum installation of the new Science City of Naples.