“Murena” wants to open the building up as much as possible to the city. From one side, the two courtyards become stages upon which to show part of the museum’s archival collection, recreating a visual link between the arcades and the outside. From the other side, the exterior façades, redefined by new light-boxes, emphasise the educational role of the museum, updating the corporate identity and establishing a new interaction between inside and outside. A Wunderkammer, where astonishment confronts the unexpected, becomes a common ground. The Animal and the Plant Catalogues are weak steel structures, respectfully distant from rear façades. They host reproduced resin animals and native rare plants. It recreates a lively dialogue, coming from the categorized Natural Elements. Here, the mere didactic scope is overstepped, becoming a Show.
The “Murena” shelter areas are designed like urban spaces. The Loggia is used as promenade from which visitors can enjoy from one side the Taxonomic Catalogues, and from the other all of the implemented service areas: classrooms, bookshop, coat check, restrooms, and conference room. The new cafeteria, as a flagship activity, is located in a privileged position overlooking the Plants courtyard, directly connected by a ramp.
The “Murena” Corporate Identity is based on the connection and interaction between inside and outside. Through the use of light-boxes, located inside windows in the façade openings and recalling the idea of museum display, citizens are guided inside. The name chosen, “Murena”, is the acronym of Regional Museum of Natural Science, Torino. The logo is a zoomorphic ‘M’, in the style of Parmigianino.

Competition 3rd Prize
Date: 2015
Location: Via Giolitti, Turin, ITA
Size: 1.200 sqm
Contract value: 1.5 Ml E
Program: Museum refurbishment

Client: Regione Piemonte
Architect: casatibuonsante architects with fosbury architecture
Corporate identity: Bianca Fabbri, Valentina Bigaran, Vittoria Marelli
Structural engineer: F&M ingegneria spa
Lightting consultant: Claudio Zambonin
Services engineer: Studio De Zolt