Museum of Language

The project critically looks into the museum as typology and tries to redefine it by subverting the relationship between the subject (the visitor) and object (the display). Envisioned as a museum cum cultural hub/community center, the Museum of Language (MOL) organizes itself around the subjects (the visitors) as opposed to objects (the display). The spaces from the ground up to the 2nd-floor area of interactive nature and the lower ground is dedicated for the exhibits and archival activities.
The overall arrangement of the program on the site and volumetric placement takes its cues from the historical development of the language. The ground floor is a communal space dedicated to the fundamental human need and first level in the development of language i.e. interaction, by providing a dialogically conducive space for speakers and listeners. This space also holds temporary exhibitions. An open-air amphitheater on the ground floor provides another interactive and performative space in the backdrop of MOL main building.
The basement houses permanent galleries of language, divided as per the genetic classification of language into families and a dedicated space for the archive. The first floor takes the second level of language engagement that is the focused speech. This level has an auditorium and seminar rooms. The top level of the museum houses the most advanced form of language, the written text/script. This floor is dedicated to a library with audiovisual facilities and learning centers. A distinctive glass dome symbolising human brain covers an informal sitting area of the library dedicated to the formal discussions in an informal setting and generation and sharing of ideas.
Each floor occupies the area as per its programmatic requirement and their distinctive importance in this historic process. The structural columns of the building represent the structure shared by both, language and architecture
and signify the arrangement of parts to make a comprehensible system/syntax.

Location: North Woolwich pier, London
Google Earth: Latitude: 51°29’56”N Longitude: 0°03’45”E
Site Area: 6400sq. meters
Max built area: 12000sq. meters

Syed Fawad Hussain, Leena Hassan, Jasim Abdullah, Omer Farooq

Museum of Language by Syed Fawad Hussain in United Kingdom won the WA Award Cycle 29. Please find below the WA Award poster for this project.