Punta d’Éste, Uruguay
Uruguayan architect Carlos Ott and Miami-based sculptor Pablo Atchugarry collaborate creating the first and only museum in Uruguay promoting global contemporary art.
The building unfolds as a dynamic wave or the bow of a ship, a curvaceous structure that appears almost to be moving on its landscaped terrain.
It is wrapped in glass- and aluminum-clad enclosures that shimmer in the sun, and an aluminum roof that is held up by an impressive timber frame construction, made of Red Grandi’s eucalyptus.
The sweeping curves of the timber elements cleverly allow for column-free interiors and large halls that can be flexible and accommodate exhibitions of different scales.
Set in expansive grounds, the Museo de Arte Contemporáneo Atchugarry opened with fresh artwork by Atchugarry himself, but also a temporary show of work by Christo and Jeanne-Claude – whom the sculptor admires greatly.
MACA occupies the grounds of the Fundación Pablo Atchugarry, which the artist established in 2007 to promote Uruguayan art and culture.
Already present in addition to the sculpture park are galleries, an auditorium, an open-air stage, and a heliport.
“There is a common concern among artists and collectors, which consists in thinking about where their works will go, the fruit of a lifetime, the passion that has always accompanied them,” says Atchugarry, who leads the project.
Project: Museo de Arte Contemporáneo Atchugarry (MACA)
Architects: Carlos Ott
Sculptor: Pablo Atchugarry
Client: Pablo Atchugarry Foundation
Photographers: Nicolas Vidal and Lorena Larriestra
