Kabul, Afghanistan

NMA @ FRIDAY GARDEN NMA @ BAGH-E JOME

NMA @ BAGH-E JOME

Luisa Ferro, Fabio Albani, Siro Casolo, Francesco Collotti, Massimo Ferrari, Sara Protasoni

Plan

NMA The plan of the new museum is a kind of ideogram that, together with the garden, becomes an essential part of the whole geometry. The geometric fixity of the architecture and the garden is broken by the sound of water, changeable element of the nature, and the movement of plants created by the wind coming from North-West that penetrates through the white walls and controls the building climate. The mangled trees of Kabul will grow again in a new garden A unique garden (a whole design) where it is beautiful to stay in the holy days and where people feel safe. A lively place able to welcome people to meditate. One great garden hosting pavilions, shady places where to sit, the old museum building (which will be in use until the end of the last phase of construction of the new one) and, at last, the new museum. As in Herat when the magnificent enclosures, the Gohar Shad and Hussein Bayqara Musallas were part of a huge network of gardens, a magical sequence of green enclosures that ran to north-east toward Gazur-Gah Mosque, now in Kabul it will be possible to follow a new path along Darul Aman avenue that goes from Babur Garden and the Zoo – which stay in the south-west slope of the citadel – up to the Friday Garden and its new treasure, the National Museum of Afghanistan. NMA is like a “stone” garden, which reveals the rooms of History. Afghanistan-Parapomidasae was the end of the world, but it also the beginning of something new. The Wall Impact resistant. Made in reinforced concrete. His thickness aims to contrast stroke, terrorist attack and bombs. The wall – entirely practicable as the ancient city walls – is 4.40m high from inside and 5.40m high from outside in order to protect the military men. Six towers like big “guardians of the temple” keep the enclosure safe. They look like big sculpted human heads that evoke the old wooden Nuristan sculptures (exhibited inside the Museum). 3D resistant structure: all the towers are conceived as monolithic re- inforced concrete boxes. The top of the tower is vaulted to strength- en the joint between the perimeter walls and the roof.The towers allow 360° overview on the neighbourhood. Each one is provided with a rest room, a small kitchen, a little pray corner and a closed toilet. The wall is apparently a silent object. It is instead the symbol of greater tension. A transitory present condition, we hope that in the future could give a sense of peace becoming a viewpoint device. The Iwan The pedestrian main entrance is through a kind of modern Iwan- mausoleum. It hosts a wide visible deep cistern. His inner surface is covered with tiles made and laid with the “kashi” technique the same as the Timurid room inside the museum (see chapter construction technology and materials). Pavilions The left side of the entrance path to the Museum is marked by a sequence of pavilions hosting old cars and the Afghan steam loco- motive. So the recent past of the Country introduces and connects the an- cient heritage inside the museum. The elementary structure of the pavilions is covered with a High- Tech tent (the same used in the terrace on the top of the museum)