Museum + Hotel = Trend of the Future?
After nearly ten years of construction, an incredible new museum has opened at a famous archaeolgical site in Turkey. What makes Antakya (ancient Antioch) special is now longer “just” the archaeology – itself spectacular – nor its disputed status between Turkey and Syria, but an entirely new model of museum. The Turkish firm EAA – Emre Arolat Architecture conceived “The Museum Hotel,” a building that hovers over an open-air museum. The museum showcases some of the best-preserved Roman-era mosaics in the world (image above by Dosseman; see more pictures on the linked websites).
It’s a mind-bogglingly ambitious design. It consists of space-age containers that, by virtue of warm colors and a configuration resmbling peeping out from under a blanket, appear as cozy as an Alpine auberge. The ultra-refined interiors of the hotel rooms, reception, restaurant, and bar take best advantage of the views over the ancient remains. And of course the mosaics are used as a motif in the elegant interior decoration. The original Roman mosaics that inspired the design can be seen in the local Antakya Archaeological Museum, including the fragment at right.
Bowled over by this concept and design, I racked my brain for parallels. The closest I could come up with are the art hotels that feature contemporary art in the rooms to create a special “near art” experience – but The Museum Hotel is another thing altogether, almost taking the place of a visitor center on the site. Could this be a trend of the future, as cultural heritage sites continue to require funding and interpretation beyond public financial means?
Do you know of more examples like this? Let me know here in the comments, or via the Contact page – I’d love to hear from you!
