NEW ACROPOLIS MUSEUM 1

NEW ACROPOLIS MUSEUM, ATHENS, GREECE

Location :15 Dionysiou Areopagitou, Athens 117 42

Built: 2001-2009
Architects: Bernard Tschumi
Local Architect: Michalis Photiadis
Client: Organisation for the Construction of the New Acropolis Museum
Size: 210,000 sq. ft

HISTORY - Elevated on a rocky rise, The Acropolis (high city) is a critical archaeological
site that sits in the heart of Athens. A place of importance in ancient Greece, countless
invaluable excavated artefacts have been found here, and many more are still speculated to
remain undiscovered. While the main findings are from the Greek Bronze Age through to
Byzantine Greece. The pinnacle of this mass open-air time portal is The Parthenon: a temple
dedicated to the maiden goddess Athena built in the 5th century BC. While the Parthenon sits
at the summit and can be seen throughout the city, the location of a museum in which the
collected artefacts could be held became a contentious issue in the 1830s when the Greek
State gained its independence from the Ottoman Empire.
The first museum was on the Acropolis; it was completed in 1874 and underwent a moderate
expansion in the 1950s.

KAVYASHREE GOVIL ROLL NO. 9 FOURTH YEAR

 NEW ACROPOLIS MUSEUM 2

CONCEPT: Designed to accommodate the most spectacular sculptures of ancient Greece,

located across from the Parthenon, one of the most influential buildings of western
civilization, in a sensitive archaeological site, combined with a warm climate in a region of
earthquakes, the New Museum of the Acropolis offers a simple and precise architecture with
mathematical and conceptual clarity of ancient Greece The project is based on three concepts
that transformed the potential limitations of the site: electricity, motion and tectonic and
programmatic concept.

Light Concept - The light was taken as a primary concept in design. It is, first, a museum of
natural light, related to the presentation of sculptural objects within it.

Motion Concept The tours offer visitors a rich sequence based movement, both through time
and spatiality.

Tectonic and programmatic Concept The manifestation of the building structure is reflected on
the outside and inside of it. It is structured in such a way that is designed around the specific
needs of each part of the program.

Programmatic concept Motion sketch

With 8,000 square meters (90,000 square feet) of exhibition space and a full range of visitor
amenities, the Acropolis Museum tells the story of life on the Athenian Acropolis and its
surroundings by uniting collections formerly dispersed in multiple institutions. Visitors to the
museum are able to see the Parthenon from the glass gallery

KAVYASHREE GOVIL ROLL NO. 9 FOURTH YEAR

 NEW ACROPOLIS MUSEUM 3

SITE & IT’S SURROUNDINGS

- Residential

- New acropolis museum

- Heritage site

The museum is located by the South eastern slope of the Acropolis hill, on the ancient road
that led up to the "sacred rock" in classical times. Set only 280 meters (310 yd), away from
the Parthenon, and a mere 400 meters (440 yd) walking distance from it, the museum is the
largest modern building erected so close to the ancient site.. although many other buildings
from the last 150 years are located closer to the Acropolis.

Line of sight from the

museum to Acropolis

KAVYASHREE GOVIL ROLL NO. 9 FOURTH YEAR

 NEW ACROPOLIS MUSEUM 4

Drop off Pedestrian entry Pedestrian approach road

• The site is surrounded by landscape and approached from the Dionysios Areopagitou
pedestrian street, which links it to the Acropolis and other key archaeological sites in
Athens.
• The museum is placed on site in such a way that top floor of the museum offers a 360
degree view of the Acropolis and the modern Athens and Parthenon.
• It only has pedestrian access from north west
• Athens has a hot climate, thus use of courtyards can be seen in planning of the
museum. Only one major gallery- the archaic gallery is positioned at the south façade
and that too has maximum wind circulation. The architect has utilised the abundance
of sun by using it for maximum natural lighting in the museum

Pedestrian movement from road Vehicular movement towards the

to museum drop off

KAVYASHREE GOVIL ROLL NO. 9 FOURTH YEAR

 NEW ACROPOLIS MUSEUM 5

BUILDING LEVEL ANALYSIS / MASSING

TOP

MIDDLE

BOTTOM

ENTRY TO MUSEUM

Spaces : The building is articulated into a base, middle and top which were designed around
specific needs of each part of the program. The base of the museum floats on Pilotis over
existing archaeological excavations, protecting the site with a network of columns placed
carefully.

• Base level contains the entrance as well as temporary exhibition spaces, an

auditorium. Being implemented on stilts over an archaeological site, was used in some
sectors based pavement clear glass through which the visitor can see the excavations.
• The center is a large square of double-height trapezoidal shape which houses the
galleries of the archaic period of the Roman Empire, with complete flexibility. Here is
accessed through a slide glass. A mezzanine houses a multimedia auditorium, a bar
overlooking the archaeological excavation and a restaurant with a terrace and
spectacular views of the Acropolis.
• The upper part consists of the Parthenon Gallery, rectangular, arranged around a
covered space transparent. This, it turns gently to guide the marble frieze in the
Parthenon.

Structure - The piles penetrate the ground to the underlying bedrock and float on roller
bearings capable of withstanding an earthquake of magnitude 10 Richter Scale.

• The façade resembles the nearby Parthenon, columns to mirror those of the Parthenon
exactly

KAVYASHREE GOVIL ROLL NO. 9 FOURTH YEAR

 NEW ACROPOLIS MUSEUM 6

Exit
circulation
Entry
circulation

• The visitors' circulation follows a historic double helix of ascent from the Archaic to
the Parthenon Gallery with a north descent to the ramp and ground floor exit. The
nucleus on all floors is split in two equal parts: 5m wide by 50m long they include 7
elevators, 8 fire safety stairs, installation passages and two public toilets

KAVYASHREE GOVIL ROLL NO. 9 FOURTH YEAR

 NEW ACROPOLIS MUSEUM 7

toilet
fire
escape
lifts

KAVYASHREE GOVIL ROLL NO. 9 FOURTH YEAR

 NEW ACROPOLIS MUSEUM 8

toilet
fire
escape
lifts

KAVYASHREE GOVIL ROLL NO. 9 FOURTH YEAR

 NEW ACROPOLIS MUSEUM 9

toilet
fire
escape
lifts

Excavation at the basement level and the entrance lobby zone

Natural light enters the spaces due to glass façade, yet keeps it cool due to perforations that
absorb heat

KAVYASHREE GOVIL ROLL NO. 9 FOURTH YEAR

 NEW ACROPOLIS MUSEUM 10

COMPONENT LEVEL ANALYSIS

• The museum protects an excavation site as it rests on stilts

• It’s a museum of ambient natural light. The use of various types of glass allows light
to flood into the top-floor Parthenon Gallery, to filter through skylights into the
archaic galleries, and to penetrate the core of the building, gently touching the
archaeological excavation below the building.

Materials -The building was designed in relation to the durability and resistance to the
passage of time, so that the building age with grace, despite the heavy volume of
traffic in an international tourist destination. The materials were selected for their
simplicity and sobriety:

Structure: Reinforced concrete and steel

Glass Façade: Purified ‘low iron’ glass with an invisible selective UV coating and
printed frit
Inner Core: Precast and cast-in-place concrete with acoustical dampening
perforations
Skylights: Frosted glass panels
Railings: Glass panels with steel handrails
Floors: Beige marble for galleries; dark marble for circulation; heat strengthened,
laminated safety glass with textured dots to prevent slippage
Displays: Marble pedestals, glass vitrines, and steel niches

KAVYASHREE GOVIL ROLL NO. 9 FOURTH YEAR

 NEW ACROPOLIS MUSEUM 11

Due to hot climate fritted glass

(black dot screen) is used to protect sculptures and viewers from glare of the sun as it
absorbs the sun’s heat

• Square shaped skylights (frosted glass panels) are placed on ceiling of the 4th floor,
these allow flow of natural light and also prevent direct contact with harsh rays

KAVYASHREE GOVIL ROLL NO. 9 FOURTH YEAR

 NEW ACROPOLIS MUSEUM 12

• Pre cast concrete wall with a pattern of circular holes in the panels give a texture to
the surface and also reduce noise in the space

• marble is not only a locally available material but it also allows light to be distributed
naturally along the interior. All areas of museum are well lit even where glass is not
present

• Pedestal that showcase the exhibit are constructed with light or neutral coloured
marble so as to not pull attention away from main exhibits. These pedestals are used
as backdrop for the statues. Beige colour doesn’t distract user’s attention

KAVYASHREE GOVIL ROLL NO. 9 FOURTH YEAR

 NEW ACROPOLIS MUSEUM 13

• The marble that is used to make the flooring is dark in colour which creates a contrast
with the rest of the museum’s interior. Due to this the visitor’s line of sight is drawn
to the flooring. The marble is strategically placed along the main routes and around
important exhibits
• The double glazing of the outer skin and the single glazed inner skin are connected by
90 degree glass fins and stainless steel pins. Air supply is located near the core

creates a forest of columns

• Concrete is heavily used in the museum. At the main entrance, concrete columns
tower over museum visitor’s which makes the building look grand. In the interior
galleries columns create blank spaces at intervals and allow visitor space between
experiencing new exhibits. It mainly as the structural element to support huge loads

• Glass used in abundance also allows visitor’s as it maximises the appearance of

natural light to mimic how buildings used to get light in ancient times

KAVYASHREE GOVIL ROLL NO. 9 FOURTH YEAR

 NEW ACROPOLIS MUSEUM 14

Services: The structural scheme includes a seismic base isolation between the base
structure and the middle block. This helped to reduce the seismic forces in the
structure and to allow a thinner structure through the active archaeological dig.

The mechanical scheme includes a strategy to provide a displacement air conditioning system
in the Parthenon galleries. There is a gap between double glazing of the top floor, so hot air
from galleries circulates through glass wall gaps via ceiling and ends up in the basement,
where it is cooled and brought back in galleries

2-glass stack

3- frozen air duct

5-rising air

Optimum daylighting scheme - More than any other quality, light is the theme of the New
Acropolis Museum and a central requirement of the architectural design. Large glass surfaces
on the facades and roof optimise the opportunities for natural light.

KAVYASHREE GOVIL ROLL NO. 9 FOURTH YEAR

 NEW ACROPOLIS MUSEUM 15

Theatrical lighting principles are used in designing the skylights to reveal the character of the
marble reliefs, and subtly distinguish the surviving collection from the missing pieces. The
six caryatids that held up the Caryatid Porch of the Erechtheion temple at the Acropolis are
displayed so that, from certain vantage points, they appear to hold up the gallery roof. Stage
lighting techniques make them stand out from their background, accentuating the effect. The
spotlights are positioned to ensure that visitors can fully appreciate the detail of the caryatids

As daylight fades, the lighting becomes more dramatic, transforming the glass museum into a
giant display case

Positive inferences
• The visitor’s route through the museum forms a clear three-dimensional loop,
affording an architectural and historical promenade that extends from the
archaeological excavations
• Everything is kept transparent through glass floors and facades
• Ample amount of natural light, so less artificial lighting is required which saves
energy as well
• Walls respond to the hot climate in keeping the spaces comfortable for user’s
• Response to earthquakes as seismic insulation: 94 seismic bearings beneath ground
level at the unachievable 10 of the Richter scale.
• West façade has sun shades to protect from glare
Negative inferences
• The ramp's continuity at various heights and hard surfaces could create visitor’s
acoustic problems.
• Ground floor ramp is without fire safety compartments
• The site planning resembles a foreign embassy instead of a modern museum
• The third floor gallery with the Parthenon frieze, requires ascending past the cafe
terrace and bookstore on the second floor. There is no architectural celebration of this
movement here, two escalators flanking an unused staircase.

References

https://www.arup.com/projects/new-acropolis-museum

https://moreaedesign.wordpress.com/2010/09/13/more-about-the-new-acropolis-museum-athens-
greece-draft/

https://www.architectmagazine.com/design/buildings/esto-gallery-new-acropolis-museumo

The Acropolis: The New Acropolis Museum - book

KAVYASHREE GOVIL ROLL NO. 9 FOURTH YEAR

 NEW ACROPOLIS MUSEUM 16

KAVYASHREE GOVIL ROLL NO. 9 FOURTH YEAR