Located on a pier, the Museum of Tomorrow in Rio de Janeiro was meant to be a step towards modernity for the city. Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava was inspired by tropical plants, but the museum’s design is more reminiscent of a futuristic spaceship. As with the architect’s other designs, the appearance of the edifice mimics the dynamic movements of nature. Inside, state-of-the-art exhibitions take a closer look at Earth and space, man and his past and future. Such an audacious investment was part of a plan to revitalise the harbour area, which included demolishing the motorway and restoring the coastline. Of course, the museum had to be ready before the 2016 Summer Olympics.
The new Miracle Harbour
The revitalisation of Porto Maravilha (Miracle Port), which began in 2009, was supposed to be a new beginning for the neglected and impoverished port district. The city authorities, together with the then Brazilian president, wanted to make the investment before the Summer Games, which were to be held in Rio de Janeiro in seven years’ time. The initial announcements were promising not only for the investors, but also for the poor residents of the port area. However, it wouldn’t be a story about Brazil if it wasn’t for the twist of deepening social inequality. The neighbourhood has been gentrified and the initial news of social housing construction proved to be far from the truth. Rio at the Games was supposed to shine with innovation, not poverty. Such an innovation is the Museum of Tomorrow, which catches the eye with its bizarre architecture.
Calatrava wanted to refer above all to the dynamic forms of nature. The sharp, repeating shapes are inspired by the bromeliad plants (pineapple, guzmania) that can be seen in the city’s botanical gardens. The second major inspiration was ships, and the museum ‘floats’ above the water like a ship. In fact, the facility is located on a purpose-built pier, but the mirror pond placed around it guarantees the ‘floating’ effect. The water surface also helps to lower the temperature in the pier area. Interestingly, a similar solution can be seen in many modernist edifices in the national capital, which you can read about HERE. Another element similar to the Brasila buildings is the six-metre-high sculpture ‘Puffed Star II’ by Frank Stella, which stands on the sheet of water in front of the museum.
White ship
The white metal ribs extend for several tens of metres, and a good portion of the building’s length is made up of decorative wings, which are the canopy of the pier. Interestingly, the individual elements of the wings move so as to best illuminate the space. Of course, the roof consists of a series of skylights and photovoltaic panels. The architect limited the height of the building to 18 metres because he did not want the new edifice to obscure the view of the bay from the historic part of the coast.
Inside, exhibition, technical and auditorium rooms are arranged over two floors. Particularly important is the large open space at the entrance. The well-lit lobby welcomes visitors with the dynamic shapes of the mezzanine and a hanging globe made up of triangular screens. The permanent exhibition is located on the first floor and tells the story of space, earth, life, the past and the future of the planet. At the end of the exhibition there is also a section telling the story of the indigenous civilisations of America and Australia. The authors of the exhibition used photographs, films, interactive elements and advanced technology. The story created by the museum aims to answer questions such as: Where did we come from? Where are we going? Who are we? etc.
The price of the future
The museum also carries out educational and scientific activities, and over the years has managed to establish numerous collaborations with various research institutions. The Calatrava project is therefore not just a strange toy by the bay. On the other hand, it is worth pointing out that the Museum of Tomorrow is a very expensive investment, as it cost €53 million to build. Although it is not among the most expensive museum buildings in the world (as a reminder, the MSN in Warsaw cost EUR 163 million), it is still an expensive museum building. In addition, the metal wings have started to rust after a few years and the complex construction is driving up maintenance costs. High cost is a hallmark of the architect’s designs. You can read about Calatrava’s other impressive and expensive projects HERE.
It should also be added that the main funder of the project is the foundation of the owner of the largest media group in Brazil. This money determined the success of the Museum of Tomorrow. At the beginning of the 21st century, there were attempts to create a Brazilian Guggenheim in the city, but financial problems made the project impossible.
Santiago Calatrava’s works mimic nature and its movements. They do not fit into their surroundings in the same way as Frank Lloyd Wright’s designs, but are a sculptural representation of the surrounding world. The Museum of Tomorrow is one of the most peculiar and innovative buildings of the 21st century. The building is very popular, with 4.3 million visitors to the Museum of Tomorrow in its first five years of operation.
Source: Rio On Watch
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