We drew inspiration from ships, from the bunkers and their logic and from various architectural references. Namely the Sydney Opera house.
One interesting thing we learned from the bunkers overlooking the sea, is how, because you enter through a small door below ground, into a small dark space, and then into the light where the guns looked over the sea - the space seems to expand. Larger than it would have felt if you had walked straight from the open-air and in.
The drawing below the diagram shows how we incorporated the same effect when coming to the stairs from the basement up to the large open space above.
The situation plan shows the arrival from the forest in the east and how the very sculptural building looks out over the sea, hidden from view from the motorway below along with the bunkers.
The sections show how the space below is extended out into a trench that connects the museum to several of the bunkers and offers protection from the wind and stunning views to the sea for the outdoor café area.
It also shows the space how the visitor moves up the staircases and along the 'floating' ramps below the shell of the building with fantastic views out towards the sea.
