Underground museum
Underground museum
The “Nika Museum” is in line with the repertoire of spatial typologies that have made Nika Island an iconic destination in the Maldives. Spiers made of arches and vaults in coral (the brick of the “Vaulted Maldives”) envelop museum visitors in a surprising and unusual architectural configuration in which Maldivian art and traditions can be exhibited and shared with the public.
The Museum is the result of the transformation of a furnace dating back to the 70s of the last century. Two dimensions coexist in the project: conservation (which has always been part of Nika’s DNA) and the creation of a new space which are confronted in a constant dialogue. In a maze of underground tunnels and coral vaults, in the “spatial” and architectural uniqueness of the Nika, a Museum is born, a project with an open and constantly evolving cultural program, where architecture, artefacts and individuals will tell travelers the story of Maldives and where the local community will be able to rediscover their traditions. A museum to help travelers understand the uniqueness of the destination, to safeguard the traditions and beauty of a country made up of islands.
Il “Nika Museum” è in linea con il repertorio delle tipologie spaziali che hanno reso il Nika Island una destinazione iconica alle Maldive. Spire fatte di archi e volte in corallo (il mattone delle “Maldive di una Volta”) avvolgono i visitatori del museo in una sorprendente ed insolita configurazione architettonica in cui l’arte e le tradizioni Maldiviane possono essere esposte e condivise con il pubblico.
Il Museo è il risultato della trasformazione di una fornace risalente agli anni 70 del secolo scorso. Nel progetto convivono due dimensioni: la conservazione ( che da sempre è parte del DNA del Nika ) e l’ideazione di un nuovo spazio che si confrontano in un costante dialogo. In un dedalo di tunnel sotterranei e volte in corallo, nell’unicità “spaziale” ed architettonica del Nika, nasce un Museo, un progetto con una programmazione culturale aperta e in costante evoluzione, dove architettura, artefatti e individui racconteranno ai viaggiatori la storia delle Maldive e dove la comunità locale potrà ri-scoprire le proprie tradizioni. Un Museo per far comprendere ai viaggiatori l’unicità della destinazione, per salvaguardare le tradizioni e la bellezza di un paese composto di isole.
Nika was one of the first islands to develop the concept of Maldives tourism. Nika is the island of Italians, Europeans in the Maldives. The team of this historic resort wants to celebrate, elevate and spread Maldivian culture using the typical mechanisms of the museum space, a concept well rooted in Italian culture. The exhibition of finds, artefacts, antiques and photographs will be enhanced during ad-hoc events, which will allow travelers to understand the evolution of Maldivian culture and society, the folklore and traditions of a people.
The Nika museum will allow tourists to understand the evolution of the socio-economic dynamics of a country that does not have to be limited to a collection of “breathtaking beaches”. How is the concept of connectivity evolving in a country made up of 1200 islands? How is the plastic emergency addressed in a country that receives millions of tourists a year? How does a Maldivian live on a local island? How is the education, health and energy system managed in the Maldivian islands? The Nika team regularly invites representatives of both the public and private sectors such as Ministries, United Nations, international organizations, NGOs, and artists to the island, to tell their stories and to answer all the questions of travelers eager to discover the dynamics which make the Maldives – and Nika – a unique destination in the world.