Kinzo renovated and rebuilt the National Museum of Kyrgyzstan.

Museum Kirgistan

Building Redevelopment, Bischkek, 2018
“This project was an adventure for us,” says Chris Middleton. “An adventure we were happy to embark on.”

Between Bishkek and Berlin: Eastern Modernist architecture as inspiration for contemporary placemaking.
Zurück
Weiter

The other major challenge was the sheer distance of around 5,000 kilometers, which naturally brought with it language barriers and cultural differences in planning and construction practices.

The three-story brutalist building is characterized by a good spatial structure: wide-span, bright, open floors and a magnificent staircase that extends through the entire height of the building and offers many views into the exhibition areas.
Inside the approximately 4,000-square-meter building, Kinzo first had to remove many elements that had been added later. The spacious glass facades, for example, had been sealed off with drywall. “We exposed the existing structure so that the character of the building is clearly visible throughout,” explains Chris Middleton.
Zurück
Weiter

Elements of the interior design, such as floors and the impressive skylight in the stairwell, were repaired or, where necessary, replaced.

The color gold is the leitmotif of the renovation concept: for Kinzo, the house is Kyrgyzstan’s golden treasure, modeled on the gold treasure from the national epic “Manas.”

In addition, it was necessary to define the various zones, such as a spacious reception area with digital access controls, exhibition areas, a café, a museum shop, and event spaces. Kinzo developed built-in furniture for this purpose. However, it is no higher than two meters so as not to detract from the impression of the space. Apart from the individual interventions and additions, the user journey was crucial for the architects, as Middleton emphasizes.

“In this respect, accessibility plays a very important role. How do you perceive the sequence of rooms, where are the intersections of different user groups, which sightlines and visual references are emphasized, and how do you bring different people together?

Photos: ©Chris Bierl, Kevin Metallier (1.Picture)
Year 2018
Client Country Kyrgyzstan
GFA 3600 sqm
Category Education, Exhibition
Scope Renovation, conversion, and expansion