*베트루 뮤지엄 [ GuinéePotin Architectes ] Beautour Museum & Biodiversity Research Center

자연위에 또하나의 자연을 만든다. 유서깊은 조르주 뒤랑 맨션의 수집품을 위한 전시공간, 베트루 뮤지엄센터는 다양한 종의 동식물 표본전시와 교육을 목표로 건립된다. 뮤지엄의 취지에 걸맞는 건축방법론은 친자연적인 소재의 사용과 자연의 훼손을 최소한으로 하는 건축구축으로 이곳을 방문하는 방문객들에게 유니크한 장소에 대한 경험을 제공한다. -지속가능한 건축은 주변환경의 배려로 부터 시작, 건축물을 지면으로 부터 분리, 부양시킨다.(이곳 연못에 서식하는 개구리와 왜가리를 비롯한 습지 동식물을 보호하며, 대지를 최소한으로 훼손한다.) 여기에 우리의 볏짚을 이용한 초가와 같은 재료로 건축을 마감한다.

기존 역사적인 조르주 뒤랑 매션과 나란히 이웃한 뮤지엄센터는 장소에 대한 새로운 정의로 건축물의 아이텐티를 배가 시킨다.

reviewed by SJ

The main idea of Beautour center is to glorify the historical Georges Durand’s mansion (a Vendean naturalist, 1886 – 1964) who got important collections.

The project aims to develop educational and scientific supports themed on biodiversity, as well as a management strategy and evolution prospectives for the whole area.

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Beautour Museum & Biodiversity Research Center, La Roche-sur-Yon, France
Program: museum and research center
Architects: Guinée*Potin Architectes
Landscape designers: Guillaume Sevin Paysages

Graphic design: Warmgrey
Museographic content: Stéphanie Vincent
Engineering: Isateg
Scenography: block architects

Area: 2057 sqm

Completion: 2013

The Museum & Biodiversity research center tries to find a right balance between light actions, preserving the biodiversity already on site, and other stronger actions, creating a positive impact on the biological diversity.

Thus the project is neither a theme park, nor an ornamental garden. This really is a site-specific project, inspired by the local biodiversity, the topography, and the other qualities that are proper to Beautour.

The visit itinerary is drawn by this logic, scientific purpose leading the visitor down to the fields and the valley, where the wild nature meets both Beautour historical and newly designed gardens and meadows.

In a very present landscaped green setting, the project takes on a strong identity, reinterpretating a traditional technique in a contemporary and innovative way, by adopting a thatched skin, that entirely covers both walls and roof of the building.

As a compact shape would have vied with Mr Durand’s mansion, the building grows organic, embracing the mansion, surrounding it and spreading on the site without overthrowing the natural order. Solid raw chestnut tree trunks also confuse the overall image of the mimetic project.

The building, as a branch laying on the ground, is a “piece of built landscape”, a “new geography” completing the natural scenography.

Making the building rise up the ground allows the biodiversity to stay in place and minimizes the impact of foundation works. The project slowly lifts up to unveil the pond hosting frogs and herons.

The technical facilities annex is painted black and houses locker rooms and a wood-fired boiler. A pedagogical greenhouse stands next to it at the entrance of the site.

from  domusweb