NAME : ALEKHYA KETHU

MUZEIKO CHILDRENS SCIENCE AND DISCOVERY CENTRE ROLL NO : 16041AA057

3 RD SEMESTER SEC : B SVCASTER
INTRODUCTION :

ARCHITECTS : LEE H . SKOLNICK ARCHITECTURE + DESGIN PARTNERSHIP

LOCATION : SOFIA , BULGARIA
AREA : 35000 SQ FOOT
PROJECT YEAR : 2015
MANUFACTURERS : FUNDERMAX
Muzeiko, located in Bulgarias capital city of Sofia , is the first
childrens museum to be built in post-Soviet Eastern Europe. Representing
the culmination of Lee H. Skolnick Architecture + Design Partnerships
decades of experience with museum and exhibition design, it is also the
culmination of the firm's collaboration with its client, the America for
Bulgaria Foundation
DESGIN CONCEPT :

THE MUSEUMS ARCHITECTURAL THEME , LITTLE MOUNTAINSIS AN

ALLUSION TO BULGARIA S MOUNTAINIOUS TOPOGRAPGHY. THE
STRUCTURES GLASS VOLUME IS BROKEN BY THREE SCULPUTRAL FORMS ,
OR MOUNTAINS, EACH REFERENCING THROUGH ITS COLOUR SCHEME AND
TEXTURE INDIGENOUS CRAFT TRADITIONS IN THE COUNTRY. ONE FORM
FEATURES ABSRACTED PATTERNS INSPIRED BY TEXTILES AND EMBROIDORY,
ANOTHER BY GLAZED CERAMICS, AND THE THIRD BY TRADITIONAL WOOD
CARVINGS.
ORGANISED CONCEPTUALLY AS A JOURNEY MOVING THROUGH TIME AND
SPACE , VISITORS CAN EXPLORE THREE LEVELS OF EXHIBITS IN 35000 SQ FT
FACILITY . ON THE LOWEST LEVEL CHILDREN EXPLORE THE PAST WITH
EXHIBITS BASED ON ARCHAEOLOGY, GEOLOGY,AND PALEONTOLOGY,.IN THE
GROUND FLOOR IS THE PRESENT REPRESENTED BY HANDS ON DISPLAYS
ABOUT THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT AND CONTEMPORARY CITIES. THE
TOP FLOOR IS DEDICATED TO THE FUTURE WITH INTERACTIVE
EXHIBITIONS FEATURING CUTTING TECHNOLOGIESAND SPACE TRAVEL.
MATERIALS USED :
GLASS , STEEL ,CONCRETE , WOOD, GLAZED CERAMICS.

CONCEPT DIAGRAM
THE MUSEUM UTILISES LARGE AREAS OF GLASS TO REVEAL THE
INTERIOR AND LEAVE AN IMPRESSION OF OPENNESS AND
TRANSPARENCY ABOUT THE ACTIVITY CONTAINED WITHIN
CONTRAST TO MOST BULGARIAN MUSEUMS THAT APPEAR
IMPOSING AND MONUMENTAL.
INTERACTIVITY OF THE MUSEUM ALSO INFUSES THE SITE WHICH
INCLUDES A SCIENCE PLAY GROUND, A GREEN ROOF AND ROOF
TOP CLIMBING WALL , A RAIN GARDEN, OUTDOOR ACTIVITY
SPACE AND AN AMPHITHEATRE .
THE BUILDING IS CERTIFIED LEED GOLD, ONLY THE SECOND
SUCH BUILDING IN SOFIA. WHILE LEED IS TYPICALLY AN
AMERICAN SUSTAINABILITY RATING PROGRAM, THE CLIENT,
FUNDED IN LARGE PART BY THE AMERICA FOR BULGARIA
FOUNDATION, SAW THE LEED RATING AS DESIRABLE FOR THIS
PROJECT.

THE PROJECT INCORPORATES GEOTHERMAL HEATING/COOLING,

A SOLAR ARRAY ON THE ROOF FOR SUPPLEMENTING
ELECTRICAL AND HOT WATER NEEDS, TRIPLE GLAZED CURTAIN
WALLS WITH INTEGRAL FRIT TO MITIGATE UV AND SOLAR GAIN,
PERMEABLE SITE PAVING, A CISTERN FOR RETAINING GRAY
WATER FOR TOILETS AND SITE IRRIGATION, A PLANTED ROOF,
AND SITE AMENITIES SUCH AS LOCAL DROUGHT-RESISTANT
PLANTINGS, ELECTRICAL VEHICLE RECHARGING STATIONS AND
BICYCLE RACKS.
A HIGH LEVEL OF QUALITY WAS DESIRED IN ORDER TO
HAVE LARGE EXPOSED CONCRETE STRUCTURAL
COLUMNS AND EXPOSED CONCRETE WALLS BOTH
WITHIN THE BUILDING AND AS PART OF THE SITE
DESIGN. THE GENERAL CONTRACTOR WORKED
CLOSELY WITH THE ARCHITECT-OF-RECORD TO
PROVIDE CONCRETE FINISH LEVELS THAT EXCEED
TYPICAL INDUSTRY STANDARD IN BULGARIA.

WHILE THE DESIGN INTENT WAS TEMPERED BY

OVERALL PROJECT COSTS, THE PROJECT WAS ABLE TO
REMAIN ON BUDGET BY WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE
CLIENT, ARCHITECT-OF-RECORD AND CONSTRUCTION
MANAGER TO UTILIZE LOCAL SUPPLIERS AND
SELECTING ALTERNATE SOURCES FOR BUILDING
SYSTEMS, MATERIALS AND FINISHES, AS NEEDED TO
MAINTAIN BUDGET PARAMETERS.
VERY LARGE GLASS PANELS WERE REQUIRED FOR THE
FAADE AND THE SIZE WAS A CHALLENGE FOR
BULGARIAN SUPPLIERS. THE FINAL PRODUCT WAS
SOURCED FROM GERMANY AND ASSEMBLED IN
BULGARIA BY A LOCAL CURTAIN WALL ENGINEER AND
MANUFACTURER.
SITE PLAN :
GROUND LEVEL FLOOR PLAN UPPER LEVEL FLOOR PLAN

LOWER LEVEL FLOOR PLAN