BAMIYAN CULTURAL CENTRE

24,000 SF museum and cultural centerBamiyan Valley, Afghanistancompetition entry, 2015

VIEW FROM NORTH

SITE PLAN

In 2015, UNESCO and the Afghan Ministry of Information and Culture announced their mission to build the Bamiyan Cultural Centre. Situated on a plateau, overlooking the World Heritage site and archaeological remains of the ancient Buddha cliffs, the purpose of the center is to provide ‘heritage safe-guarding and cross-cultural awareness’.

Our proposal for the Bamiyan Cultural Centre competition takes the shape of an earthen block, formed from the land it sits upon, and defined by its’ pakhsa (rammed earth) wall. It is perforated with light and adorned with traditional glazed Afghan tiles. Parallel to the great Buddha cliffs, the orientation maximizes views of the valley and surrounding mountains. The center is intended to have a prominent presence in the Bamiyan Valley, integrated with the local architecture. We see this design as the first step in building a larger cultural infrastructure, celebrating heritage and engaging community.Approaching the entrance from a gently sloping ramp, the exterior

form of the building frames views of the Buddha cliffs beyond. Inside the main block, perforations in the pakhsa envelope blur the experience of interior and exterior. On the entry level, gallery spaces protect the artifacts of a diverse culture. The circulation path through the gallery is flexible, to respond to changing needs of program. The gallery spaces are shielded from harsh direct sun, with natural light diffused into the space from the clerestory above. At the end of the gallery progression, the building opens to views of the valley and cliffs beyond.At the eastern end of the building, a grand stair descends to the lower level, where a public corridor connects researchers, performers and students, fostering a lively exploration of cultural tradition for generations to come. This corridor serves as an internal road and provides views to the valley. Facing the valley is a large landscaped stair that serves as an outdoor amphitheater. At the end of this internal road, the visitor will find a traditional Afghan tea house, which connects to a large exterior patio and the formal gardens beyond.

SITE PLAN KEY

01 ENTRANCE TO GROUNDS02 GUARD STATION AND GATE03 PARKING04 DROP OFF 05 ENTRANCE TO CULTURAL CENTRE06 EXTERIOR SCULPTURE GARDEN07 OPEN TO BELOW08 MAIN ROOF 09 PERFORMANCE HALL ROOF 10 COURTYARD11 GREEN ROOF GARDEN12 VIEWING TERRACE13 TERRACED GARDEN STEPS/SEATING14 UPPER GARDEN15 STAGE/VIEWING PLATFORM16 REFLECTING POOL17 LOWER GARDEN18 REINFORCED PLANTED SLOPE19 UNDERGROUND GEOTHERMAL WELLS20 AREA FOR FUTURE EXPANSION21 MEYDAN (COMMUNITY SPACE)

01 VIEW TO AMPITHEATRE AND BUDDHA CLIFFS

VIEW NORTH FROM SITE

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MAIN ENTRY

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UPPER LEVEL PLAN

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FLOOR PLAN KEY

01 ENTRY02 RECEPTION03 MAIN PUBLIC RESTROOM04 MAJOR GALLERY05 MINOR GALLERY06 EXTERIOR COUTYARD07 OPEN TO BELOW08 EXTERIOR VIEWING TERRACE

09 COLLECTION STORAGE 10 RESEARCH ROOM11 OFFICE12 QUIET/STUDY ROOM 13 LIBRARY 14 ART LOADING DOCK15 GIFT SHOP16 TEA HOUSE17 COURTYARD18 CONFERENCE ROOM

19 PRIVATE RESTROOMS20 UTILITY ROOM21 CLASSROOM22 MUSICIAN ROOM23 SCULPTURE GARDEN24 KITCHENETTE25 OFFICE26 WORKSHOP/STUDIO27 PERFORMANCE HALL ENTRY28 PERFORMANCE HALL

29 OFFSTAGE AREA30 FUTURE EXPANSIONN31 DAYLIGHT CLERESTORY32 ACCESSIBLE RAMP33 PLANTED AREA34 MEYDAN (COMMUNITY SPACE)35 OUTDOOR STAGE36 GARDEN37 REFLECTING POOL38 INTERNAL ROAD

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A half-meter rammed earth pakhsa envelope surrounds a concrete modular frame. The traditional paksha material creates a thermal mass that insulates the interior and regulates temperature. A pattern of circular indentations is pressed into the earth as it is formed, creating texture that allows for multiple functions. These indentations can be perforations or windows that allow for air flow and interior daylighting. They can also be filled with a paillette or left empty. The form created by the paksha wall is consistent with the vernacular construction found throughout the valley.

A paillette is a small shiny material used as decoration. The paillettes for the building will be 30cm diameter glazed tiles. Over 1,000 paillettes will begin to decorate the façade. As architectural elements, the paillettes cause the exterior appearance to fluctuate. Not only will the tiles reflect and refract light differently throughout the day, but the ability to add more over time allows the perception of the building to constantly evolve.

PARTIAL ELEVATION AND WALL SECTION EXPLODED AXONOMETRIC

Roof

Pakhsa Envelope

Concrete Frame

Site

The building appears as a long rectangular volume that serves the public on two levels. A gallery (the cultural sanctuary) is located on the first level, while classrooms and performance areas (the cultural incubator) are located on the lower level. The interior of the volume is expressed as a modular concrete frame wrapped with a protective pakhsa envelope. The theatre and ourdoor sculpture garden are located adjacent to the main volume. The main corridor below connects these spaces with the ampitheatre steps and formal garden.

The construction of the Bamiyan Cultural Centre will engage local laborers and craftsmen. The material palette was chosen for its local sourcing, resource efficiency and traditional use.

The Centre will be a net-zero energy building. Heating will be provided through the use of radiant slabs. The thermal energy for the heating will be provided by a geothermal ground source heat pump system. The building utilizes concrete and pakhsa walls specifically for their thermal mass properties. The building will be heated throughout the day when solar power is available for the system.

CROSS SECTION LONGITUDINAL SECTION

SOUTH ELEVATION EAST ELEVATION

RECEPTION INTERIOR CORRIDOR AND SCULPTURE GARDEN

NORTH FACADE, LOOKING EAST