An extremely peculiar place, characterised by a stretch of city walls and a bulwark from the 16th century, that were totally concealed by worthless buildings before the intervention.
Natural lightening filters through from North – North-West into the three building volumes, which are closed to the South by a cor-ten iron blade and a panelled partition.
The past activity of the shipyards in Muggia is linked to memory of the historic cooperative of the small shipyards that had their seat in that very place.
Topography, Light, History.
These are the Materials of the new building.
Ugo Carà, known for his sculptures and ship interiors designed with Giò Ponti in the 50s, donated a collection of works to the town of Muggia, his hometown, an Istrian-Venetian town south of Trieste, provided that they find space in a suitable new building. A Foundation supported the initiative.
Two septa of different thicknesses close the building southwards allowing natural light from north and nord_ovest and the materials of which they are clad, wood and cor-ten steel , lead to increased activity of the shipyards of Muggia and the historical memory of the workers, that in this place had their headquarters.
The museum is divided in 3 heights and volumes with different functions: a room to host the donation with natural lighting, a multimedia room with two glass walls to capture the closeness of the walls, an area nearly seven meters high for contemporary art.
These environments are aggregated around a core of services, and distributed by a tunnel-entrance. A device for sliding doors and walls placed around the core allows eight different configurations, corresponding to as many situations exhibition, giving this space, although small, an uncommon versatility.

client:
Municipality of Muggia (TS) - Italy

project:
Claudio Farina with starassociati architects (Bartoli, Dambrosi, Markezic, Martinelli)

project team:
Piero Ongaro
Martin Hlavacek
Sergej Zagniboroda
Elisa Vladilo
Mara Pellizzari
Giulio Polita

supervision of works:
Claudio Farina

2002

2005