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Medieval Museum and Archive- an exploration into the hard and soft

Part 1 Project 2000
Mark Braund
University of Lincoln Lincoln | UK
An exploration into the soft and hard allowed the small seaside town of Scarborough to be disected, unraveling the layers of historical retention to release a malleable soft core. With this recognition lies the potential for the town to be moulded; to fulfil its ambition to become more internationally appealing.

The building's function; a medieval museum and archive serves to provide a bridging point between these two extremes. Creating a modern landmark whilst providing the town a closer link to its past.

Located on a south facing slope, the building is juxtaposed by; the dominating walls of Scarborough castle, St Mary's church and its accompanying grave yards, a three storey house of historical significance and some modern housing.

The function of the building encourages the majority of the facilities to recede into the protection of the natural topography. This minimises the impact on the more sensitive north face, creating a thin single storey silhouette against the dynamic seaside skies. The building takes you through a explorative spatial experience, using the thickness of walls to restrict and expose views to the vulnerabilities of the south bay. The internal and external circulation intertwine creating dynamic spaces where the boundaries between inside and out are lost. The interaction of these routes is emphasised by an existing public route being drawn through the heart of the building. This allows a clear heirarchy to be achieved, reinforced by a strong structural identity.

Mark Braund



2000
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