HQ Architecture + museum

Mexico: SOUMAYA MUSEUM by FERNANDO ROMERO ENTERPRISE
FERNANDO ROMERO ENTERPRISE


The Soumaya Museum is part of a large scale mixed-use urban development on the edge of the district of Polanco, one of the most exclusive areas of Mexico City.


FERNANDO ROMERO ENTERPRISE


It is owned by the Carlos Slim Foundation and contains the extensive art, religious relics, historical documents, and coin collection of Carlos Slim and his late wife Soumaya, after whom the museum was named. It is located on a former industrial zone dating from the 1940’s which today presents a very high commercial potential.


FERNANDO ROMERO ENTERPRISE


The Soumaya Museum plays a key role in the reconversion of the area: as a preeminent cultural program, it acts as an initiator in the transformation of the urban perception.


FERNANDO ROMERO ENTERPRISE


Its avant-garde morphology and typology define a new paradigm in the history of Mexican and international architecture. Moreover, its institutional status activates the public space with functionalities other than commercial and grants the new neighborhood the urban intensity it required.


FERNANDO ROMERO ENTERPRISE


The Soumaya Museum was designed as both: a sculptural building that is unique and contemporary, yet one able to house a collection of international paintings, sculptures, and decorative objects dating from the fourteenth century to the present.


FERNANDO ROMERO ENTERPRISE


The exterior of the building is an amorphous shape perceived differently from every angle, reflecting the diversity of the collection inside. The building’s distinctive façade is made of hexagonal aluminum modules facilitating its preservation and durability.


FERNANDO ROMERO ENTERPRISE


The aluminum used in the project was supplied by a company that is also owned by Carlos Slim. The shell is constructed with steel columns of different diameters, each with its own geometry and shape, creating non-linear circulation paths for the visitor.


FERNANDO ROMERO ENTERPRISE


The facade acts as a filter between the chaotic city outside and the orderly exhibit spaces within. Circulation in the building is via a continuous ramp connecting the museum facilities, allowing moments of pause and reflection for patrons.


FERNANDO ROMERO ENTERPRISE


The building encompasses 20,000 square meters of exhibition space divided among five floors, as well as an auditorium, that seats 350 people, café, offices, gift shop, and multipurpose lobby.


FERNANDO ROMERO ENTERPRISE


The top floor is the largest space in the museum, with its roof suspended from a cantilever that allows in natural daylight. The museum has a narrow entrance that opens into a large white gallery. The top floor of the building is opened so that it is illuminated by sunlight during the daytime.


FERNANDO ROMERO ENTERPRISE

FERNANDO ROMERO ENTERPRISE


FERNANDO ROMERO ENTERPRISE

FERNANDO ROMERO ENTERPRISE

Location: Mexico City, Mexico


Architect: FR- EE Fernando Romero Enterpris


Structure: Colinas De Buen


Steel Producer: Swecomex


Mep: Dypro


Interior & Landscape:Mier Y Teran, Petra Blaisse


Lighting: Lighteam & Arquitectura De La Luz


Acoustic: Saad Acústica


Museographer: Museo Soumaya, Alfonso Miranda


Area: 16,000 m²


Year: 2005 – 2011

Client: Fundación Carlos Slim