Metadata
Title
Sacred Ground: The 2050 Athenaeum
Creator
Obioha, Chukwuemeka
Location
Potomic, MD, USA
Call Number
005-LF-S023
Date
2014
School
The Catholic University of America
Category
Student
Project Assumption
If we think back to the past of what an Athenaeum once was, a temple dedicated to Athena, we find that learning can be considered a sacred act. Thus, the future Athenaeum should firstly be a play on the sacred public contemplative space. Secondly, keep public space separate and unaffected by private members spaces. Thirdly, it should also serve its original purpose of preserving architectural artifacts.
Project Statement
The program for the Philadelphia Athenaeum of 2050 is a contemporary take on the temple of Athena. There is a circular procession around the Naos (public contemplative space) and the treasury (library and storage). However, instead of a horizontal organization of space, the procession is vertical. This allows one to experience the original climb to the temple of Athena internally (circulating upwards to the contemplative space).
Registration Number
46162616