Architect: Project National Science Museum, Sana’a, Yemen

Competition of the National Science Museum Project (NSM)
1st prize winner / The Netherlands Project : (VVKH)

National Science Museumm - Imax

The design competition is issued by the ministry of oil and minerals, geological survey and mineral resources board.
The location of the project: Sana’a University Campus, Sana’a, Yemen
Architect: Verheijen van Rijswijk Knappers de Haan (VVKH) Leiden, the Netherlands, the 25th of October 2006

The location of the project: Sana’a University Campus, Sana’a, Yemen

- Concept of Project ( National Science Museum ) :

Concept of Project - National Science Museum

A large museum garden is requested. To realize that, we have looked for more building space elsewhere. A roundabout gives the possibility to design a landmark with long distance views and over 10.000 sq.m. garden.

Concept of Project - National Science Museum

Concept of Project

Location of museum

Perspective - National Science Museum

National Science Museum, Sana’a, Yemen

Site plan of National Science Museum, Sana’a, Yemen

- Building diagram:

An Imax theatre has in principal a spherical shape, a natural form on a roundabout. The connection with other parts of the museum is via a basement. Here is situated Group I, the main exhibition area.

Building diagram

Main hall first floor

Project National Science Museum, Sana’a, Yemen

Main hall basement

Basement floor

National Science Museum

1 daylight

2 elevator

3 technical services

4 composition of exhibition

5 stairway to I max

6 escape stairway

7 toilet ladies

8 toilets gentlemen

9 ring of daylight

Basement floor

National Science Museum

1 ticket sale

2 information desk

3 first aid

4 toilet ladies

5 toilets gentlemen

6 guard

7 duty officer

8 staff

9 personnel entrance

1o technical services

11 energy services

12 elevator

13 void

14 escape stairway

15 storage

16 shop

17 food corner

18 outdoor classroom under tentroof

19 display cases

20 director

21 registration desk

22 conference room

23 green room

24 smoke terrace

25 pantry

26 toilets employees ladies

27 toilets employees gentlemen

28 archive

29 tent roof

3o administration unit

31 sneak preview of the exhibition

Ground floor

First floor

Perspective interior design of National Science Museum

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street facade 1

gardan facade 1

gardan facade 2

street facade 2

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cross-section 1

cross-section 2

cross-section 3

cross-section 4

The museum garden

The museum garden must be very green and large. It can be very green, if there is enough water: the cistern. By planning the building on the far east site of the plot, in the basement and on the roundabout, the garden will be over 10.000 sq. m. There is not a complete specification for the museum garden, therefore the design is indicative.
The service and maintenance building is on the far west end of the plot with its own entrance in the university campus.

site plan

Water management

museum garden - cistern

To ensure there is sufficient water for a green museum garden we planned a cistern (also the foundation of phase 2). In the Netherlands it rains 8000 mm/ year. We used this known fact to provide a green garden in Sana’a.
For one year a garden of 10.000 sq. m. needs a water reserve of 8000 m3. A cistern of 4000 sq. m. and 2 meters of water level will satisfy.
The cistern can be sponsored separately

site plan

During phase 1, the architectural form of phase 2 is represented by large trees in pots. The building and the trees form an architectural unity. In phase 2 these trees can be removed to the garden

Building phases and sq. m.