Barcelona The museum of Contemporary Art

Barcelona The Museum Of Contemporary Art
Located in an area that was previously a monastic enclave, this museum establishes a rigorous dialogue between the area's historic urban fabric and the contemporary art within. The nature of the site's existing paths and routes is reflected in the building's organization, most notably in the main entry, which is paralleled by a pedestrian passageway between the museum's public Sculpture Garden and a newly created plaza in front of the Museum, the Placa dels Angels. This paseo joins the existing pedestrian network running through the old city. Overlooking the Placa dels Angels, the Museum's south facade displays a diversity of form appropriate to its rich context. The main entry is framed by an overhanging screen of planar elements and rectilinear windows. Linked visually to this clearly defined entry by a transparent, horizontally articulated glass screen, the Museum's Special Exhibition gallery is enclosed within a billowing shell. This lyrical wing resonates with the contemporary spirit of the Museum's collection and the expressive forms of the enclave's historic character. These elements front a white enameled panel wall, which runs the length of the building's spine. From the entry lobby, visitors ascend a vertical ramp within the triple-height Atrium. This extensively glazed atrium affords broad views of the Placa, orienting the visitor and mediating between the Museum's most public space and the volumes of the galleries.