The Museum of Geology, located in Progreso, Yucatan, Mexico, stands as a cultural and public space designed to seamlessly integrate with its surroundings, offering a rich spatial experience and serving as a landmark for the community.

Concept and Design

Conceived as a unified project, the museum intertwines various program elements, creating a cohesive ensemble interconnected with the surrounding environment. Volumes of differing heights, organized in an orthogonal grid, form habitable spaces, shaded transit areas, and a landscaped rooftop accessible to visitors.

Facing the coast and adjacent to the customs dock, the museum features a plaza transformed into a central corridor facilitating access to interior spaces and offering vistas of the sea. The arrangement of volumes generates routes adorned with light, shade, and vegetation, reminiscent of Mayan architecture and colonial urban layouts.

Urban Integration

The urban space extends vertically, with terraces and suspended gardens gradually ascending from street level. These upper paths provide panoramic views and connect the cultural space with the urban fabric, fostering interaction between visitors and the city.

Exhibition Spaces

The museum program comprises both outdoor and indoor exhibition areas. Public gardens and courtyards complement indoor galleries housed within prismatic volumes. These spaces can be adapted for permanent, temporary, or event exhibitions, ensuring versatility in showcasing geological artifacts.

Materiality and Sustainability

The museum’s aesthetic draws inspiration from ancient Mayan architecture, featuring angled arches and monolithic volumes clad in chukum, a locally sourced, water-resistant material of Mayan origin. This choice enhances durability and minimizes maintenance costs, aligning with sustainable design principles.

Synthesis of Tradition and Modernity

By reimagining the existing plaza into a vibrant public space, the museum harmonizes contemporary architectural design with the site’s historical context. It embodies a fusion of tradition and innovation, providing a dynamic cultural hub for the people of Progreso.