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Museo Arqueológico y Centro Cultural de Orellana MACCO
Museo Arqueológico y Centro Cultural de Orellana MACCO
Orellana, Ecuador
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Other Projects by MCM+A taller de arquitectura
Museo Arqueológico y Centro Cultural de Orellana MACCO
Orellana, Ecuador
STATUS
Built
YEAR
2015
BUDGET
$1M - 5M
Orellana Archaeological Museum and Cultural Center (MACCO) is a cultural facility located in the city of El Coca, in Ecuador’s Amazon region. It was created to preserve and promote the archaeological collection of the Napo Culture, a people historically connected to the river of the same name that flows into the Amazon river. Conceived as an urban landmark, MACCO serves as a focal point for civic activities, anchored by a diverse array of cultural expressions. Its architecture seeks to establish a strong dialogue with both its natural and urban surroundings.
The museum sits in the lower, southern part of the city, in a setting that is harmonious and respectful of nature, closely linked to the city center and complementing the Napo River boardwalk.
The project is designed to foster free interaction between the community and the building through a sequence of open, semi-open, and covered spaces connected by a clear circulation scheme. This concept is expressed in a transparent, open ground floor that connects to a pedestrian ramp, guiding visitors upward to the museum galleries, exhibition halls, library, and ultimately to a café offering unobstructed views of the Napo River—the principal natural protagonist of the city and its landscape.
On the ground floor, the Amazon rainforest takes center stage, represented through a harmonious interplay of water and vegetation that frames the central gathering point: a glass-enclosed reception space. Organic in form, this “cell-like” volume houses the information desk, bookstore, and gift shop. Around it, a wooden deck defines the public space, serving as a venue for cultural activities while also functioning as an urban reception area for pedestrian traffic and providing direct access to the auditorium.
At the heart of the architectural composition, elevated above the ground floor, stands the museum itself—a prismatic volume that safeguards the archaeological collection. Surrounding it, and at once enclosing and separating it under a concept of spatial tension, are three distinct yet complementary blocks, each with its own function but together forming a unified whole of lower height than the central volume.
Climate considerations were central to the design. The building is conceived as a self-generating system of breezes, channeling airflow between the blocks to temper the intense tropical heat and cool the open circulation spaces.
The entire complex maintains an ongoing dialogue with its immediate surroundings, which include the riverfront promenade and the cultural plaza to the north, the latter serving as the city’s urban reception space.
MACCO houses a collection of Amazonian archaeological pieces from the Napo Culture, particularly the Omagua people. In addition to its exhibition spaces, it includes a library, exhibition hall, 200-seat auditorium, ceramics workshop, café, and administrative block. Since its inauguration in 2015, it has become a catalyst for cultural and social life, serving as the city’s only active cultural center and fulfilling a collective need for its population of 72,795 inhabitants. Its work stands out for its strong ties with educational institutions and its development of cultural identity and gender-focused programs.
Photography: BICUBIK
The museum sits in the lower, southern part of the city, in a setting that is harmonious and respectful of nature, closely linked to the city center and complementing the Napo River boardwalk.
The project is designed to foster free interaction between the community and the building through a sequence of open, semi-open, and covered spaces connected by a clear circulation scheme. This concept is expressed in a transparent, open ground floor that connects to a pedestrian ramp, guiding visitors upward to the museum galleries, exhibition halls, library, and ultimately to a café offering unobstructed views of the Napo River—the principal natural protagonist of the city and its landscape.
On the ground floor, the Amazon rainforest takes center stage, represented through a harmonious interplay of water and vegetation that frames the central gathering point: a glass-enclosed reception space. Organic in form, this “cell-like” volume houses the information desk, bookstore, and gift shop. Around it, a wooden deck defines the public space, serving as a venue for cultural activities while also functioning as an urban reception area for pedestrian traffic and providing direct access to the auditorium.
At the heart of the architectural composition, elevated above the ground floor, stands the museum itself—a prismatic volume that safeguards the archaeological collection. Surrounding it, and at once enclosing and separating it under a concept of spatial tension, are three distinct yet complementary blocks, each with its own function but together forming a unified whole of lower height than the central volume.
Climate considerations were central to the design. The building is conceived as a self-generating system of breezes, channeling airflow between the blocks to temper the intense tropical heat and cool the open circulation spaces.
The entire complex maintains an ongoing dialogue with its immediate surroundings, which include the riverfront promenade and the cultural plaza to the north, the latter serving as the city’s urban reception space.
MACCO houses a collection of Amazonian archaeological pieces from the Napo Culture, particularly the Omagua people. In addition to its exhibition spaces, it includes a library, exhibition hall, 200-seat auditorium, ceramics workshop, café, and administrative block. Since its inauguration in 2015, it has become a catalyst for cultural and social life, serving as the city’s only active cultural center and fulfilling a collective need for its population of 72,795 inhabitants. Its work stands out for its strong ties with educational institutions and its development of cultural identity and gender-focused programs.
Photography: BICUBIK
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