Neolith® provides the perfect medium for art appreciation at MALBA
An architectural milestone, when it was built 16 years ago, MALBA (Latin American Art Museum of Buenos Aires) has become one of Buenos Aires’ most recognisable landmarks. Its exhibition spaces, which have hosted the very best in modern art from across South America, Central America, the Caribbean, and Mexico, now house a permanent collection of internationally important works by some of the continent’s most prolific artists. Building on its reputation as one of the world’s most forward-thinking cultural institutions, MALBA is undergoing extensive renovations to improve the visitor experience and become a ‘next generation’ museum. Sintered Stone from Neolith is playing an important role in this transformation.
Culture Club
An all-encompassing refurbishment programme has been undertaken on the ground floor to improve access, communication and quality of services for visitors. Central to this is the redevelopment of the entrance and reception area, which now comprises an expansive central hall. The work involved the levelling out and retrofitting of over 1,000-square-metres of flooring to deliver a perfectly flat surface. Juan Herreros, founder of Madrid-based architect Estudios Herreros, explains the creative vision underlying MALBA’s brief: “The main objective was to transform the museum hall into an area that meets the contemporary needs of visitors to the attraction, offering a friendly and inclusive space with the potential to become part of the visitor’s daily life.”
A Fresh Approach
Estudios Herreros has employed a wide range of texturally interesting and visually stimulating materials to produce a highly individual, multi-purpose area. Neolith® Phedra was specified for the floors; its fresh, balanced tones with greyish shadows appealing to the architect’s aesthetic ambitions. The finished floor resembles a concrete street; a continuous surface which playfully represents a halfway point between the city (outside) and the exhibition rooms (inside). The material’s versatility also led it to be specified on the museum’s bathroom worktops.
Martin Torrado of Torrado Arquitectos, a Buenos Aires-based architectural practice also involved in the project says, “Neolith was the perfect material to help unify each one of the museum areas and met each one of our requirements. It is suitable for high traffic and for panelling horizontal surfaces, worktops, walls and floors.”
An Attraction For All
The inclusion of materials, such as Neolith’s Sintered Stone, have helped MALBA create a new inclusive space that can be universally enjoyed. Neolith has also contribued to an all-new contemporary cultural concept without losing sight of the museum’s unique essence.
Contact Details
For more information please contact the Neolith website.
