Brazilian Maritime Museum

National Architecture Competition

The maritime waterfront, with its centuries-old significance, is the link connecting past and present, city and sea, country and world. It is at this strategic location that the Museu Marítimo do Brasil emerges, establishing itself as the newest cultural facility in the region. Joined by other museums, historic buildings, churches, and squares, the new museum will connect these points in space, with visitors playing the role of linking them. By allowing free pedestrian flow at the ground level, the design seeks to restore the bond and interaction between humans and the sea through direct and open access to the waterfront. This reflects the tradition of the Brazilian relationship with water bodies (seas, bays, inlets, beaches, rivers, streams, lakes, reservoirs, and ponds) embodied in the project’s initial concept.

The new vessel, a ring-shaped building, anchors to the port with 16 pairs of concrete pilings, echoing vernacular riverside architecture of stilt houses set on water-affected terrain. Accessible via two vertical circulation shafts (stairs and elevators), its interior, framed by metal trusses, will house the expographic journey, including institutional, sociocultural, educational, and administrative functions. Notable spaces include galleries for permanent and temporary exhibitions, a café, an auditorium, and a convention area. Adjacent to it, like a lifeboat, a small satellite building will house the technical collection and create a volumetric transition between the surrounding buildings (Maritime Tribunal and Port Authority – CPRJ) and the new museum.

In the composition of the large building, strategically placed openings stand out, with two larger and several smaller ones. The first hatch opens towards the city, its urbanity, frenzy, and intensity, bringing together the density, interactions, and exchanges typical of the urban landscape. Alongside a café, this veranda space provides a connection to the bustling cityscape. On the opposite side, the second, larger hatch extends over the vast sea, allowing visitors a contemplative moment with the breeze, the sounds of water, and solitude. Numerous smaller openings, resembling periscopes, will frame specific views of the landscape. Lastly, within the ringed space, an aquatic courtyard will display historical vessels, joining those already present along the quay released from the old warehouses: the Bauru Museum Ship, the Riachuelo Submarine Museum, the Nogueira da Gama Schooner, the Discoveries Ship, the Laurindo Pitta Tugboat, a helicopter, and a tank.