Qal’at al-Bahrain Site Museum, udstilling og landskabsplan 2003-2008 - Manama, Bahrain

Det arkæologiske felt omkring Qal’at al-Bahrain blev for nylig optaget på UNESCO’s verdenskulturarvsliste. Det nye museums opgave er at formidle feltets historie og de arkæologiske fund fra 2.500 fvt til i dag. Landskabsplanen for området omfatter nye stiforløb, facilitetsbygninger og audio guide.

Museet, som er på godt 2000m2, er placeret nord for det arkæologiske felt langs vandet, og herfra fører stier ud i feltet omkring fortet. Det har været vigtigt at den nye bygning indskriver sig i områdets traditionelle arkitektur, både i sin skala og sin uudsmykkede inadvendthed.

Adgang foregår via et gårdrum som er overdækket med et skyggegivende risteværk, mod nord til restauranten og mod syd til museumshallen. Gården danner overgang mellem det voldsomme udendørs sollys og museets indre, som har et mere afdæmpet lys.

Udstillingshallen er formet omkring udstillingens dramatiske centrum, en 30m lang rekonstruktion af feltets arkæologiske aflejringer - ”the tell wall”. Udstillingens planer er udlagt så de følger de arkæologiske lag. Fra den tidligste Dilmun-periode på det nederste plan følger rundgangen i museet en opadstigende bevægelse til det øverste plan, der omhandler den nyeste tid.

Museet er udlyst med en blanding af dags- og kunstlys. Dagslyset kommer ind gennem montrer der er indbygget i ”lystårnene”, som danner facadens karakteristiske rytme, og gennem to ovenlys over ”tell wall’s” sider, som understreger dens relief og stoflige virkning.

Administration, foredragssal og gæsteboliger for besøgende arkæologer er placeret i en lav, kvadratisk bygning som er formet omkring en indre gårdhave.

Gulvflader, inde og ude, er i italiensk Santafiora sandsten, murværk er pudset og kassettelofter er i meranti-træ.

Bygherre: Ministry of Information, Assistant Undersecretary for Culture and National Heritage Shaikha Mai bint Mohammad bin Al-Khalifa

Sponsor:   Arcapita Bank og Kongeriget Bahrain

Partnere:   COWI Almoayed Gulf WLL , Bahrain. National Museum of Bahrain. Dr Pierre Lombard, kurator, French archaeological mission to Bahrain. Dr. Monik Kervran, former director, French Archaeological mission to Bahrain. Eskild Bjerre Laursen, udstillingsarkitekt. John Davies, landskabsarkitekt.

Qal’at al-Bahrain Site Museum, exhibition and site plan 2003-2008

Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain

The Qal’at al-Bahrain (Bahrain Fort) archaeological site was recently nominated to the UNESCO World Heritage List. The new museum’s purpose is to expose the site’s archaeological development from 2500BC to today. The site development plan makes the site accessible by pathways, including audio guide and services facilities.

The 2000m2 museum is situated to north of site along the waterfront with paths leading to site. It has been important that the building retained the scale of traditional regional buildings and is, in the same style, rather introvert.

Access is by way of an exterior courtyard with café at museum’s northern end and exhibition in the southern. The courtyard serves as a transition between the harsh outdoors sun and the subdued interior lighting.

The exhibition space is laid out around the dramatic central display, a 30m long recreation of the archaeological strata, in levels corresponding to archaeological sediments. From the earliest Dilmon period exhibition on the lower level, the visitor ascends to the most recent Islamic period exhibition on the higher level through a succession of planes.

The museum is lit by daylight, both from a skylight reflecting the tell wall and through exhibition showcases, that are lit from above through the light turrets that form the distinctive façade. The floors, inside and out, are in Italian Santafiora sandstone and ceilings are in dark meranti wood.

Administration, lecture hall and rooms for visiting archaeologists are placed around the courtyard of the low square building.

The exhibition is intended to supplement the exhibition in Bahrain’s National Museum while exhibiting only objects found on the 17ha archaeological site.

Client:  Ministry of Information, Assistant Undersecretary for Culture and National Heritage Shaikha Mai bint Mohammad bin Al-Khalifa

Sponsor:   Arcapita Bank and Kingdom of Bahrain

Partners:   COWI Almoayed Gulf WLL (engineer and site architect). National Museum of Bahrain. Dr Pierre Lombard, curator, French archaeological mission to Bahrain. Dr. Monik Kervran, former director, French Archaeological mission to Bahrain (1977-1988). Eskild Bjerre Laursen, exhibition architect. John Davies, landscaping.