Resembling a hidden cave, the space inspired by the cinematic world of James Bond is a private museum of vintage Aston Martin cars under construction in Warsaw. Architects from the UNISM studio in collaboration with Arup are responsible for the design of the high-tech facility, the largest of its kind in Eastern Europe.
One of Warsaw's green residential neighborhoods hides a high-tech underground space for an extraordinary private collection of eight classic Aston Martin cars. Hidden beneath a grassy knoll, a winding entrance ramp, complete with stairs, leads to an underground car showroom with curved and edgy walls.
The museum will be hidden underground
© UNISM
The museum's structure was supported by steel arches, which allowed the architects to place a three-meter skylight. Daylight streaming in through the skylight emphasizes the organic shape of the room, which the designers enhanced with specially designed lighting that creates an aura of dusk.
The space was designed to display ten vintage cars
© UNISM
cinematic inspirations
Our design is inspired by James Bond movies, combining the classic look of Aston Martin DB2 cars and the high-tech look of an underground cave. Using the latest parametric design technology, we were able to combine the ramp and staircase as one morphic element that connects seamlessly to the inner walls of the cave. The dome of the museum will be made using Torket technology, just like the POLIN Museum," says Artur Zakrzewski of the UNISM studio.
A promotional video, presenting the idea of the museum
© UNISM
The main guidelines of the investor were the aspect of privacy and security, and for this reason the architects assumed that the museum would be integrated into the park, so that it would blend in with the surroundings and be invisible to outsiders. The construction of the dome allowed to obtain a minimalist space without columns, which influenced the aesthetics and functionality of the museum.
One of the main design challenges was the entrance ramp and gate
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The historic cars have a very low steering angle, making it impossible to maneuver in typical underground garages with columns. One of the main design challenges was to design the ramp and entrance gate to allow a smooth exit into the garage. The main parameters in designing the ramp were the wheelbase, width and length of the cars, and the steering angle. The parametric solutions made it possible to achieve a minimalist, flowing form of the ramp and stairs combined into a single element, explains Artur Zakrzewski.
The ram p, which is the most visible above-ground element of the facility, also serves as a sculpture that gently blends into the green surroundings.
The museum's structure was designed using parametric methods
© UNISM
parametric design
The museum's unique structure was fully designed using BIM-based parametric methods, which allowed UNISM and Arup architects to integrate complex geometries into the surrounding landscape on a relatively small construction site.
Using a real-time form-finding process, we created and analyzed various design options and their parameters, including the optimal column-free layout, beam curvature and shell. We calculated the stability of the structure and the optimal size of the skylight, the distribution of the museum's functions, light intensity and acoustics," says Artur Zakrzewski.
The exhibition contains eight cars and at its center is a rotating platform
© UNISM
Aston Martin in Poland
The exhibition in Warsaw will consist of eight Aston Martin cars, where one will be able to see models such as the DB2 Drophead and DB2 Vantage, among others. In addition, the architects have provided two spaces for more cars from the private collection. Interestingly, a rotating platform will be located in the center of the exhibition space, allowing for better maneuverability of the cars. Meanwhile, an exhaust extraction system, built into the floor and directly attached to the exhaust pipes of the cars, will allow engines to be ignited without polluting the museum's air. It was also very important to ensure free entry and exit from the museum, since all the cars on display participate in races throughout Europe.
The structure, which is dug into the ground, makes it possible to maintain a constant temperature in the interior
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advanced technology and sustainability
The building's entrenched structure allows for lower temperature fluctuationsduring the summer and winter seasons, reducing energy losses due to the high thermal mass of the earth. Meanwhile, the close proximity to the river allows for increased capacity of geothermal pumps, while reducing the need for electricity. Thanks to the pumps, the facility uses no gas and emits no greenhouse gases, and the skylight reduces the use of artificial lighting.
The museum is almost completely hidden in the grounds
© UNISM
The green roof and underground tank system used nullifies the risk of flooding of the facility during heavy rains. The introduced system of temperature and humidity control inside the exhibition space reduces the risk of corrosion of the car body or cracking of the upholstery of antique cars.
The museum concept has passed the next design stage, with construction and opening scheduled for 2023.
