Tipology Competition // Location Turin, Italy // Surface 2500 mq // Timetable 2015 // Client Regione Piemonte // Project Team Alberto Lessan, Jacopo Bracco, Cecilia Mauro, Chiara Allione //

The approach to the project proposed by us has as its objective 3 main aspects: - Implement the attractive image of the Museum both in the guise of its premises and in everything related to communication and marketing. - Adapt the spaces and environments subject to intervention by giving a new aspect; - Activate the museum during the day and in the evening for activities other than the specific museum one;
Recognition
What probably catches the attention of our project most is the presence of a Tyrannosaurus of gigantic proportions which invades the two courtyards with its "tonnage" and pierces the sleeves of the building. On each side of the museum, whether you are in an environment inside or in one of its open spaces it is possible to spot it and remain intrigued and attracted by it. His open mouth ready to "tear apart" any thing, will be the object of curiosity of the greatest and the smallest and its huge size will create a fun and recreational scenario within the historical Baroque context of great architectural quality. This communicative device (on a much greater metric scale compared to human-sized dimensions and to that of existing spaces) is the element that allows us to activate a recognizability of the museum and beyond for those who are active users but also for those who want to discover the museum before going there. Spontaneously and involuntarily it will become a strong symbol of the museum. Probably in a short time it will also become a distinctive element of the whole city of Turin and one of its sought after and reached attractions. From a constructive feasibility point of view, the Tyrannosaurus is conceived as a close series of many bamboo elements of different lengths. Each of these individual elements is hung firmly, through the use of steel cables (which with minimum section sizes can withstand considerable loads) to a mesh, also metallic, placed in tension near the crowning of the building. The degree of weakness and freedom of the elements will be assessed in the detail and executive definition phase. They will be able to move (based on the controlled positioning of constraints) based on the amount of air and currents that will be present in the 2 courtyards. From the point of view of composition of the interior spaces, our work has focused on rethinking, (without forcibly applying a revolution) the uses and functions of the different environments. We found that one of the places most in need of a makeover was the atrium. We foreshadowed the insertion of a Desk or Front Office and Ticket Office between the two rear columns of the atrium. A central location, easily accessible. Also in this space, (very important since the only one, together with the cafeteria and the East courtyard, visitable before / without the purchase of the Ticket) we wanted to give a strong and effective image. We entered, right above the heads of visitors in the queue at the ticket office a SUN. A large solar sphere can also be perceived from the street before the entrance. The atrium is also an important distribution element from which the various paths of the museum take shape.
The spaces of the pharmacy
One of the most visited and most popular places in each museum is the bookshop. In these spaces there are usually books, objects or posters that attract attention, that feed our desire to buy souvenirs or to continue the path of the museum even when the deadline is reached. For this reason we have prefigured the use of the magnificent spaces of the former pharmacy for this exploration function the final. It will also be open to the public who will not necessarily visit the museum, giving the entire population of Turin the opportunity to enjoy those magnificent spaces.
The internal courtyards
In our project, we have strongly characterized the two courtyards. We want these 2 open-air areas to have a function greater than they have now. We believe that the elevation of the sediment line (an element that allows ventilation to the underground rooms) is a strongly negative element, which cuts the usable space into 2 disconnected and separate parts. In the East courtyard we propose the construction / assembly of a raised wooden square (similar to the one found in the nearby Jazz Club in Piazza Valdo Fusi), with the aim of unifying the two separate banks and use the differences in heights such as parking steps, pitches for the Bistrot / cafeteria dehors, stage and green flower beds. This structure will be a "constructed" element permanent but easily removable by disassembling the individual parts. Inside the two courtyards there are 2 new elements: one for the Bistrot and one for Didactics. These volumes are ideally and voluntarily conceived with different materials and appearance compared to the baroque facades. They are raised from the ground, they never intersect with the structure of the building. They are volumes with dimensions parallelepiped and transparent materials. There is the intention to have the maximum brightness inside them and to allow the maximum relationship with the outside and the context. The Bistrot will be present in the EAST courtyard. This space will be open all day, from morning to 7.00 for breakfast in the evening until 20.00. For the evenings in which night events will be organized, it will also remain open until late in the evening. In addition to its refreshment function, it will represent a filter with the city, it will facilitate the approach of people to the reality and atmosphere of the Museum, it will be a place that will complete the courtyard where events, concerts and theatrical performances can take place. In the WEST courtyard, on the other hand, the teaching room will be placed. We envision the use of this new volume as a teaching room, video room and conference room. The floor dimension it will be similar to that of the parallel sleeve and entry will be allowed through the use of some inclined ramps.
Corporate identity
The coordinated image created for the inauguration of the new Museum of Natural Sciences consists of several elements including the logo and its use in different situations. In addition, graphic and communicative elements are proposed such as the advertising totem, internal and safety signs, external luminous panels and posters / playbills. The colors used for the graphics are only 3: GREEN (Pantone Solid Coated 554 C) because it is a color that inadvertently introduces us and leads us to scenarios of nature, landscape and plant and animal life. Its slightly dark tone is effective for being particularly legible and decipherable in places where it is used as text. The second color is YELLOW (Pantone Solid Coated 7752 C). It is a bright color. It is the color of the desert and pristine warm spaces. Leads the mind to torrid places tied to the earth, the sun and the solar system. The third color is GRAY (Pantone Solid Coated Cool Gray 4 C). It is used as a neutral color. It can be used as a background or text. Highlights the colors associated with it and intervenes depending on the degree of its tone, to reinforce or tone down the lines and texts in which it is used. It is also the color of the stone. It represents the solidity of rocks and all stone materials, the evolution of the earth from its birth along the transformation process.
Light panels
On the side via Accademia Albertina, on the side of Via Giolitti and in the compartments of the internal windows of the sleeve that divides the 2 courtyards, plexiglass panels will be positioned white opal that when illuminated, in the evening and at night, will let you see the silhouettes of prehistoric animals. The animals will appear to be looking out of the windows. .
Poster | Posters
The inauguration of the new MSN will take place on 21.06.2016. This is our bold prediction and we call the people of Turin, big and small, playing with the bones of glass columns, legs and terns in order to form words including OPEN on the occasion of the inauguration. The posters are the representation of all the usable pieces, and invite those interested to enter the museum.