The Bamiyan Cultural Centre

The image most of us have of Afghanistan is that of a territory afflicted by a perpetual state of conflict and turmoil for most of its history. But the simplification of an entire country, like any other, is far from reality. Landlocked at the crossroads between eastern and western civilizations, it has been closely connected to their culture and traditions while also forging a unique identity.

At the center of Afghanistan lies a hidden treasure: the Bamiyan Valley. With human settlements that date back as far as the Middle Paleolithic Era, and with the presence of remains along the Silk Road one has to wonder how should a building embody the idea of “restoring hope in a place that will preserve and celebrate culture”? 

THE CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW GEOGRAPHY

The omnipresence of  the Buddha Cliff had an undeniable impact on our design concept: a geographical presence that is both iconic and representative of the history of mankind. Although the Buddha’s are long gone, their absence makes their presence even stronger. Through the creation of a new geography, we wish to engage in a dialogue between past (Buddha Cliff) and present (Bamiyan Cultural Centre).  This new geography overlooks the agricultural fields and mountains through a promenade.

A CULTURAL STRONGHOLD

When creating the contour for this artificial geography, we couldn’t help but remember the diverse manifestations of defensive architecture throughout the world. Fortifications paradoxically are built for the defense of territories in warfare, but also to consolidate rule in a region during peace time. This bastion of culture subtly conceals, protects and celebrates the activities to be carried out in the facility.

A small program posed a challenge when confronted to such a large site.  Through the creation of a large void at its center, we were able to create a courtyard: a social gathering space by excellence. Also as a strategy to maximize warmth and light in most of the rooms throughout all the seasons.

DESIGN AND BUILDING STRATEGY

Examples throughout the world constantly show that foreign implementation of projects, without the involvement of the community are doomed to abandonment. Although we present a fixed design, instead we offer a strategy that wishes to involve the community in the collective construction of the cultural centre both in the design stage, but also in the construction and operation of the building. Through the use of local materials, technology and manpower, most resource and capacity limitations can be easily overcome, even in the harshest conditions. This strategy wishes to awaken a sense of community and guarantee the investment UNESCO is willing to make for the project. 

TALLER 301