Museum with organic form in Mexico. Former zone reshapes the perception of the city

In Mexico City, Fr-ee Studio designs the Soumaya Museum, a building that is part of a mixed-use urban development, located in a former industrial area dating back to 1940 which today has a very high commercial potential of which the Museum plays a key role

The Soumaya Museum plays a key role in the reconversion of the area, it acts as the main pivot in the transformation of urban perception, it also stimulates public space with functions that go beyond the commercial ones. In order to create a new identity for the area, the construction has had to acquire a strong urban presence

The Soumaya Museum was conceived as a contemporary sculptural building. Its avant-garde morphology and typology outline a new paradigm in the history of Mexican architecture. From the outside, the building is an organic and asymmetrical form perceived differently by each visitor, projecting the diversity of the collections it houses to the public

Among the works on display are Rodin's second largest collection of sculptures in the world, various authors of medieval and Renaissance literature, as well as the work of various impressionist painters. This heterogeneous collection is contained in an exhibition space spread over six levels, representing approximately 6,000 m2. The building also includes an auditorium, library, offices, a restaurant, a shop and a multipurpose hall

The structure of the building consists of 28 curved steel columns of different diameters, each having its own geometry and shape. Located at each level, seven rings form the system that covers the structure and ensures its stability. The roof of the building is opaque, offering a central opening to the outside. The façade consists of 16.000 hexagonal aluminium modules to optimise the conservation and durability of the entire building