Museo Amparo

Museo Amparo in Puebla, Mexico, by Enrique Norten/TEN Arquitectos, 2013

The following text and images are courtesy TEN Arquitectos; photographs are copyright Luis Gordoa.

Museo Amparo is located within the historical center of the city of Puebla. The museum is composed of various colonial buildings of great historical and architectural value. The museum holds a permanent collection of 4,800 pre-Hispanic pieces, some given by the INAH (Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia) and others from private collections. There is another permanent collection of baroque art and one of contemporary art, including pieces from notable artists such as Javier Marín, Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera, Vicente Rojo, Manuel Felguérez and Sebastián.

For the rehabilitation and resize of the building, TEN Arquitectos took into account the architectonic modernization of the spaces and of its museographic script. The new design updates the way of exhibiting and walking through the museum’s different collections; by adding a vestibule, we motivate the intercommunication between the collections, but at the same time they can be accessed and enjoyed independently. In the same way, we establish a new way to intercommunicate the museum’s services, so the public and private aspects could be separated and work more efficiently.

The creation of more temporary exhibition spaces helps the museum to stay at the forefront in its objectives of social, educational and cultural services. The project also undertook the modernization of mechanical, structural and media systems. Due to the history of the museum, its age, the different interventions, the constant use, its historical value, and the client ́s interest in preserving this legacy, it is important to renew, improve and determinate the current condition of the various MEP and structural systems. The architectural proposal includes the opportune maintenance of the entire building.

The project strives to benefit the user with the views from the roof of the building, through new terraces and gardens. Therefore, visitors will be motivated to know another aspect of the city of Puebla, showing them the magnificent views of the different domes, towers, churches and natural landscape that haven ́t been exploited previously in any other part of the city.