PAPALOTE CHILDREN’S MUSEUM RENOVATION | PROJECTS | Legorreta Arquitectos
PAPALOTE CHILDREN’S MUSEUM RENOVATION

Category: Institutions
Region: Mexico
Year: 2016
Location: MEXICO CITY, MEXICO
FT2 Construction: 104,410 sq ft
FT2 Ground: 0 sq ft
Involved Areas: Architecture, Interior Design

Collaborators:
LEGORRETA®
Víctor Legorreta
Miguel Almaraz
Adriana Ciklik
Carlos Vargas
Miguel Alatriste
Berenice Corona
Daniel Reyes
Ana Paola Espinosa
María Beckmann
Koji Makita
Héctor Guillén
Fredy López
Oswaldo Anaya
Joel Rojas

Associate Architects:
Arquitecto Asociado: TDM Arquitectos:
Cristina Téllez
Juan Doménech
Pablo Mondragón
Selene Manzano
Irvin Quintana

Consultants:

Interior Design: LEGORRETA ® + TDM Arquitectos
Landscape Design: AMET Paisajismo, Entorno Taller del Paisaje
Structural Design: Izquierdo Ingenieros y Asociados S.C.
Electrical Design: Segura Nava Instalaciones
Hidraulic and Plumbing Design: Zenón Instalaciones
Acoustical Consultant: Saad Acústica S.A. de C.V.
Lighting Consultant: Artec 3
Kitchen Consultant: Cocinas Sansón
Air Conditioning: DYPRO
Cost Estimator: CAABSA

Photographer:

Jaime Navarro
Ma. Dolores Robles - Martínez


BACKGROUND.
Papalote Children’s Museum was created under the concept that its most important visitors are children. Without losing sight of that premise and with the existence of a new generation of children that are immersed in technology, the museum authorities have thought of a renovation plan to cover the demands of these infants. Twenty-two years after its inauguration, the museum had diverse opportunity areas that limited its capacity to attend the growing demand of visitors: nearly 750,000 visitors per year, and has received more than 18,000,000 people since its founding. The renovation project pretended to give solution to the building’s functionality and saturation, remodeling and extending its spaces, with the aim of covering the growing demands of its visitors. It was extremely important to solve the flows in the ticket booths, improve the distribution of exhibition areas, increase the number of food restaurant options and souvenir shop, increase and upgrade the restroom services, and contemplate all of the security issues and transform the Papalote Museum into a more sustainable building. Some of the spaces were remodeled, other were extended and other were preserved, receiving integral maintenance. The site where the museum is located includes a great patio that was covered by a tensile structure, which was removed, transforming this space into a garden. The existing Maya Garden that was located in the western corner was regenerated and now forms part of a forest that may be visited which will now receive the school groups.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Papalote was remodeled in a total way, this expansion includes new interior and exterior exhibition areas, a new store, and a new food court area, a new multiple use room, a new parking and service building, and a general improvement of its offices. Papalote’s integral renovation contemplated the efficient use of natural resources, adapting the spaces to use natural light and ventilation, adding intelligent lighting (LED), and a water treatment plant to recycle water. This will translate into an earning of nearly 25% of its energy consumption, and up to 90% in its water consumption.

MAIN FOYER
The museum’s lobby is an essential area, so that is why the project contemplated an important expansion in this space, in order to have a total area of 1,200 sq meters, increasing up to a 30% its capacity (enabling it to receive up to 1,000 visitors per hour). It counts with a direct access from Chapultepec Park, and it has ticket and information booths, as well as lockers for storing personal belongings. An important metal structure with glass and perforated metallic sheets and plates was designed for this space, which makes it an attractive area. It also offers protection from the rain and sunlight, providing a very distinctive element for the museum’s facade.

FOOD COURT
On the main foyer’s eastern side, under its great cover, the new food court is located. It counts with 9 fast food locals, and a terrace that holds up to 450 people. This area is subdivided in different ambiences and table zones, that offer the visitors a place to eat their meals surrounded by planters that limit space and offer protection.

SOUVENIR STORE
The store’s design responds to a place filled with imagination, where one of its main assets is the exhibition of the products and huge hanging kites provide a playful environment, it also has cashiers, a “Fondo de Cultura Económica” bookstore, as well as a story telling area. It has a surface of 220 square meters.

SCHOOL GROUPS AREA
The project contemplated a specific space for the reception of school buses and the arrival of groups, with an extension of 3,700 square meters. This space counts with a drop off area meant for buses, a special ticket booth and services. A trellis with a glass covering brings protection from the rain and sun for an area meant for these groups to have lunch. There are also a series of lockers for the visitors to store their personal belongings such as backpacks, as well as a controlled storage area for wheelchairs, strollers or objects with large dimensions.

IMAX MEGA SCREEN
The ADO foyer and IMAX Mega screen were totally renewed, offering an ample space for the entrance to the cinema functions. Total maintenance and lighting as well as air conditioning improvement were performed for this area, as well as the creation of a new candy store.

TEMPORARY EXHIBITIONS
There are two areas meant for temporary exhibitions. These spaces were adapted to host any type of itinerant exhibition that may be presented at the museum. The finishes and lighting suffered a renewal, in order to have improved areas.

BANAMEX DIGITAL DOME
Banamex Digital Dome is a spherical volume, that has become one of the museums emblems. The illumination systems were updated, as well as the air conditioning, fire detection and security systems.

PERMANENT EXHIBITIONS
This area offers a brand - new image, with less cluttering and its lighting, video, systems equipment were arranged in a more orderly way. The walls were painted in more neutral colors. One of the main goals of this renovation was to obtain a more sustainable building. The facades were modified, so that each of its porticos has some glass doors that remain open, as well as new windows that will remain open, providing cross ventilation, with the help of a simple mechanical ventilation equipment will make the museum have a comfortable temperature and air quality, reducing energy consumption. The upper floor of the permanent exhibitions area is increased by using the food court restaurant’s footprint in this level. The museum’s facades are covered in clay tiles. Many of them were damaged, so they were replaced by the same kind of tiles. This zone’s content was completely remodeled with a new image and updated topics.

MULTIPLE USE ROOM
This is one of the brand-new buildings in the Museum. This space is meant to host several events. It has an oval form, with a glass facade, that allows a clear view of the exterior garden. This room has an area of 700 square meters, and a capacity of 450 visitors. It has movable walls that can divide the room into different schemes, hosting up to 3 simultaneous events. It is equipped with a kitchen, meeting room, event offices, cloak rooms and restrooms. It has a controlled lighting, as well as systems for audio, network and video, fire protection, alarms, air conditioning, etc. Taking advantage of the foundations, the water treatment plant was located in the underground areas, whereas this multiple room’s ceiling is covered with plants for a landscape integration with the exterior areas.

OFFICES
Each space has meeting rooms and there was a complete remodeling in all of its flooring, walls and ceilings, as well as the inclusion of adequate lighting. It has modular furniture, that hosts all of the technology requirements for these kinds of offices.

RESTROOMS
The existing and new restrooms have a new design, extending their area and are thought for the most comfortable use of children and adults. Santo Tomás Marble was used for the flooring, as it is extremely resistant. The restrooms are equipped with natural and mechanic ventilation. All of the toilets, urinals and sinks were selected to be environmentally - friendly, helping reduce water consumption. The walls are covered in green or orange porcelain finishing.

MAINTENANCE AND SERVICES
Beside the parking building, a new maintenance area has been built, this zone includes workshops, storage, dining room for employees, maintenance offices and restrooms for the staff. It also has a loading dock towards Constituyentes avenue. The access is controlled and there is a storage for organic and inorganic garbage.

PARKING
A new three storey building was erected for the parking. It has an area of 5,000 square meters and has a capacity of 256 cars. It has a concrete structure, and has a direct access to the foyer. The building’s facade is made up of perforated metallic sheets, allowing natural ventilation and offering a distinctive design. It has stairs, elevators and restrooms for the users. Its access is near the food court, which helps that vehicular flows do not interrupt the pedestrian ones within the foyer.

RELATIONSHIP WITH CHAPULTEPEC PARK AND ITS CONTEXT
The building is integrated to Chapultepec Park, so during the renovation plans, a more direct connection was demanded. In order to solve this, the great foyer is more open towards the park, as well as the pavement design of the access avenue. By adding green areas within the Museum, the children have direct references to the connection to Chapultepec Park, as well as enabling knowledge and curiosity towards the natural world.

SUSTAINABILITY INNOVATIONS
• Energy consumption is reduced up to 25% due to the natural lighting and ventilation.
• Water consumption reduced up to 90% due to the following aspects: o Rain water storage o Water treatment plant of 1,078 cubic meters: meaning 1’078,980 liters of water or the 80% annual average of water usage. o Increase consumption efficiency by water earning toilets, urinals, sinks and showers, meaning that nearly 30% of water is saved. o Treat 50% of water in water treatment plant to be used in urinals, toilets and for watering the gardens.



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