cv + portfolio Tomas Kral

The project seeks to integrate and connect the external plaza directly with the museum and its main access.

The design of the mural extend onto the esplanade generating the pavement design and the street furniture.

A timeline with the most significant events in Siqueiros’ life starts with the marking of his birth date at the south end of the plaza and runs along its length, entering the museum and culminating in the model of the PolyforumSiqueiros, his masterpiece.

The invention of the system of mechanical and electrical pulleys to move the panels of the mural up and down was another example of Siqueiros’ genius. We proposed to rescue this system in the main gallery to conserve its workshop character. The pulley system will now move the exhibition panels for different and versatile configurations of space. The gallery will be in constant movement and always adapting and changing to solve the varied requirements of the exhibitions.

For the art workshops we opted for an architectural language that resembled the essence of those of the modern movement of the mid-20th century where functional elements and lines conformed the requirements of the space. A lattice wall with the archetypal form of a house covers Siqueiros’ former residence that will now give lodging to visiting artists and researchers. It gives privacy and shade to the interiors and generates a sense of unity and differentiation to the envelope of the museum.

We did not win the competition. Our proposal was discarded because it was considered too radical and aggressive. The jury decided on a more respectful, low-key and non-invasive intervention: a conservative revolutionary museum. / text by Esteban Suárez