ARSENAL MEMORY PARK

Juraj Dulencin

Project idea

The subject of this master’s thesis is the design of a philharmonic hall in the city of San Miguel de Tucumán, Argentina. The aim of the proposal is for the building to become a new public cultural center and to rank among the icons of the city’s modern architecture. The project also includes the revitalization of the neglected former military complex Arsenal, covering an area of approximately 350 hectares. The main idea of the urban design solution is to create the strongest possible connection between the city and the park, so that the largest possible proportion of residential buildings adjoins green spaces. A new urban district is created here together with a comprehensive system of English and French-style parks, allowing the entire area to be crossed by a pedestrian park promenade. The philharmonic building is located at the intersection of several urban axes, thus forming a hub for both pedestrian and vehicular traffic.

Project description

The massing of the building consists of simple cuboid volumes of varying heights, according to the internal functional layout. The different height levels create rooftop terraces connected by public stairways. In this way, the building establishes a new public space accessible not only to visitors of the philharmonic hall, while also offering views of the surrounding landscape and the city.
The philharmonic hall contains a main concert hall with a capacity of 1,508 people, a secondary small hall accommodating up to 176 visitors, and extensive facilities for performers, staff, and technical operations. An additional function is a café located on the second floor, connected to the rooftop terrace and capable of operating independently from the philharmonic hall itself. Further complementary functions include commercial spaces on the first basement level, which can also function independently from the operation of the philharmonic hall.

Technical information

The western, eastern, and southern facades are unified by an external wooden shading system. The form of the shading is inspired by traditional Argentine mosaics, some variations of which also feature a diamond-shaped motif.
The northern facade is fully glazed and does not incorporate shading directly on the facade itself. However, it includes a wooden canopy covering the forecourt of the philharmonic hall. Since sunlight reaches this facade from a higher angle than it does the eastern and western facades, a horizontal shading element was chosen. The canopy is supported by wooden columns topped with arches. The arched form is inspired by several significant buildings in both the city and Argentina.
On the western facade, the wall at the level of the first basement floor opens onto a lower-level square. This wall has an exposed concrete finish and functions as an arcade, accommodating outdoor seating areas for the adjacent businesses. Its design also takes the form of an arched colonnade.

Documentation

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