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© Alan Keane . Published on February 20, 2015.
The significance of a new cultural centre for Bamiyan cannot be underestimated. It has the power to symbolise a nation’s, and a city’s, rich heritage and an optimistic future. The building proposed represents these values, and draws from the past to form part of a continuous historical narrative that sets the stage for a peaceful future.
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The building will create a new horizon; an extension of the landscape against which the figurative and sculptural properties of the Buddha cliffs and mountainous terrain can be appreciated. Rather than competing with the majesty of the UNESCO World Heritage Site, the building will enhance the existing qualities of place and generates a new reading of its historical significance.
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A series of courtyards and cellular rooms will appear carved from the landscape, utilising traditional earth construction techniques. Their spatial properties are reminiscent of the traditional cave shelters and, seemingly buried, they protect visitors from the powerful midday sun. Visitors descend into this network, passing through a processional route of dramatic top-lit spaces. Drawing from primitive and monastic architectures, the spaces have a hallowed quality, connecting the visitor to the sacred nature of the site.
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The building will act as a community hub, and draws from traditional courtyard architectures to create spaces that celebrate shared cultural assets.
A pavilion will mark the entrance to the building where a long stair descends into the structure below and terminates at a dramatic top lit space. The visitor then passes into an internal courtyard, open to the sky. This is the cultural centre of the building, where its various functions meet. A place for sharing ideas and experiences.
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The main public areas are centred around the courtyard, including the classrooms and the tea room, which provide views to the Buddha cliff.
The auditorium breaks the artificial horizon, creating a dramatic tall space which connects the visitor to the cliffs and the sky. This can also be accessed directly from ground level via a separate entrance providing out of hours functionality when required.
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The exhibition space is divided into two. The primary space is a top-lit one, where shafts of light penetrate the massive construction. By contrast, a second chamber opens to a view of the Buddha cliff, marking the end of the processional route.
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The building is formed from pakhsa with in-situ cast concrete insertions. This contrast gives the building both a temporal and spiritual quality. The earthen structure resonates with permanence and history whilst the concrete one feels jewel-like; more transient and finely crafted in nature.
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