Press Release
Michel Nagi Ghostine Is Honored with the Bronze A' Design Award for The Afterlife Cultural Space in Cultural Heritage and Culture Industry Design
Michel Nagi Ghostine acknowledged for cultural heritage and culture industry design by the international grand jury of the 2023 - 2024 A' Design Award & Competition
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
COMO, Italy, April 16, 2024 /DesignNewswire/ A' Design Award & Competition has announced that The Afterlife Cultural Space by Michel Nagi Ghostine, designed for NG Studio, has been granted the Bronze A' Design Award in the Cultural Heritage and Culture Industry Design category. The recognition forms part of the 2023 - 2024 A' Design Award & Competition and was determined through blind peer review by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members, who assessed anonymized entries against predetermined criteria.
About the Bronze A' Design Award
The Bronze A' Design Award is given to outstanding designs that showcase a high degree of creativity and practicality. It recognizes the dedication and skill of designers who produce work that stands out for its thoughtful development and innovative use of materials and technology. These designs are acknowledged for their professional execution and potential to influence industry standards positively. Winning this award highlights the designer's ability to blend form and function effectively, offering solutions that enhance people's lives and wellbeing.
About The Afterlife Cultural Space
The transformation of the former Cold War bunker into the Peace Center is characterized by a harmonious blend of practicality and symbolism. By incorporating translucent materials and strategic lighting, the space promotes transparency and accessibility, which are essential for peace-building efforts. The combination of historical elements and contemporary design features establishes an environment conducive to introspection and dialogue, signifying a forward-looking shift from a symbol of conflict to a beacon of optimism.
About Michel Nagi Ghostine
Michel, a Lebanese architect, runs NG Studio, an architecture, landscaping, and interior studio in Brazil. Driven by a mission for societal change, he volunteers with Missionaries of Charity in Ethiopia and supports social initiatives in Brazil. Through his designs, Michel aspires to make a meaningful impact on the world, aiming not only for visual inspiration but also for positive societaltransformation.
Award Record
Michel Nagi Ghostine is a winner of 1 A' Design Award, including this recognition.
About the A' Cultural Heritage and Culture Industry Design Award
The A' Cultural Heritage Design Award is an international design competition recognizing good designs that preserve, protect, and promote cultural heritage. It is organized within the A' Design Award & Competition and is open to cultural heritage designers, culture industry professionals, cultural heritage specialists and museum designers from all countries. Typical entries include cultural heritage projects, cultural conversation, preservation and restoration and protection projects. The awarded cultural heritage designs are published at https://dezigners.org/design-category/cultural-heritage
About A' Design Award & Competition
Organized annually since 2008, A' Design Award & Competition is an international, juried design accolade. The competition is open to entries from all countries. The philanthropic mission of the A' Design Award is to advance society through good design, by recognizing and promoting superior products, projects and services that benefit society, and by creating a global awareness and appreciation for good design practices and principles. Nominations are peer reviewed and evaluated anonymously by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members against predetermined criteria such as functionality, ergonomics, engineering, presentation, innovation, usability, sustainability and technology, with score normalization applied to remove biases. Awards are conferred at Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze and Iron levels. Eligible laureates receive the A' Design Prize, which includes the award trophy, the certificate of design excellence, the hardcover yearbook, a lifetime license to use the A' Design Award winner logo, exhibition of awarded works, an invitation to the gala night and award ceremony in Italy, inclusion in the World Design Rankings and Designer Rankings, and public relations and publicity services. Registration, uploading a work and receiving a preliminary score are free of charge, and Professional and Digital Edition laureates are not contractually obliged to pay further fees to claim the A' Design Prize. More information is available at https://competition.adesignaward.com
Press Resources
- Winner Page: https://dezigners.org/158388
- A' Design Award Page: https://competition.adesignaward.com/158388
- Media Showcase: https://www.designnewsroom.com/!158388
- Laureate Profile: https://dezigners.org/d/353114
Media Contact
Giulia Ferrari, Press Office
Designers.Org
Via Leone Leoni 32, 22100 Como, Italy
press@designers.org
+39 031 4491953
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Fact Sheet
The Work
- Project
- The Afterlife Cultural Space
- Function
- Cultural Space
- Category
- Cultural Heritage and Culture Industry Design
- Discipline
- Communication Design
- Industry
- Arts and Social Impact
- Colors
- Cornflower Blue, Steel Blue, Dark Slate Gray and Slate Gray
- Images
- 5
- Client
- NG Studio
The Recognition
- Laureate
- Michel Nagi Ghostine
- Country
- Brazil
- Recognition
- Bronze A' Design Award
- Edition
- 2023 - 2024
- Design ID
- #158388
Credits
- Image Credits
- Michel Ghostine The people in the pictures submitted were generated artificially and thus do not violate third-party intellectual property.
Design Details
- Unique Properties
- Nestled near Berlin, the architectural revival of Bunker 17/5001 from the Cold War era symbolizes peace. Hosting a Berlin Wall memorial, an open void, and a transparent Peace Center, it dematerializes through mirrored surfaces. The kinetic facade, a marvel of design, adds dynamism to the transformation, reflecting the changing landscape of peace and reconciliation. Honecker’s Barrack transforms into a glass pavilion, crowned by a Ginko Biloba tree—a beacon of hope and commemoration in a transformative narrative of unity and renewal.
- Inspiration
- The genesis of this project is rooted in a profound amalgamation of historical context, human resilience, and symbolic narratives. The inspiration arose from contemplating the stark realities of the Cold War, where the bunker symbolizes the epitome of human conflict and the quest for security. Witnessing the resilience of humanity in the face of such adversity sparked a desire to transform this symbol of destruction into one of peace and contemplation. Motivated by the paradox of a structure built for annihilation embodying the enduring spirit of humanity, my thoughts gravitated towards themes of hope, renewal, and collective endeavor.
- Research
- Type of Research: Comprehensive design research. Research Objectives: To understand the historical significance and societal impact of Bunker 17/5001, and to develop a transformative vision for its revival as a symbol of peace. Methodology: Employed a multidisciplinary approach combining historical analysis, architectural studies, and sociocultural research. Data Collection and Research Tools Used: Conducted archival research, site visits, and interviews with historians, architects, and local stakeholders. Utilized digital mapping tools, 3D modeling software, and ethnographic observation.
- Challenge
- The creative challenge in this project was immense, tasked with metamorphosing a Cold War relic into a beacon of peace within the historical and social milieu. Internally, harmonizing the bunker's historical weight with societal expectations demanded finesse. Externally, legal intricacies, production constraints, and technological frontiers shaped our design trajectory. Overcoming these hurdles necessitated exhaustive research, ingenious design approaches, and collaborative endeavors to harmonize with societal needs and regulatory requisites.
- Realization and Technology
- The design process of Bunker 17/5001's transformation involved a meticulous blend of innovative techniques and thoughtful methodologies. Incorporating advanced production technology, such as kinetic facades, we aimed to infuse dynamism into the structure, reflecting the evolving narrative of peace and reconciliation. Material selection prioritized sustainability and symbolism, with glass pavilions representing transparency and hope. Methodologically, our approach combined historical research, conceptual ideation, and iterative design iterations, ensuring alignment with the project's overarching themes of resilience and renewal.
- Operation and Interaction
- Visitors descend through the memory void, evoking suffocation, before confronting the imposing Objekt. They traverse to the piazza, bearing witness to the memorial of the fallen. Amidst this contrast lies the peace center and bunker, open for exploration. Inside, the red elevator ascends, delivering them to the garden with the luminous lantern, symbolizing hope amidst turmoil.
- Project Duration and Location
- Constructed in the late 1960s, the bunker served its purpose until the fall of the Berlin Wall. By 2008, discussions on repurposing began, culminating in my project concept materializing in 2017.
- Specifications
- The Honecker Bunker spans 48.9m x 66.3m with a ground floor area, and its protective shield, buried under 6 meters of sand, measures 4.2m thick. Outer walls are 1.65m thick, with a bottom plate of 2.4m. The peace center measures 100m x 35m x 17.5m and includes a museum, exhibition center, auditoriums, service areas, experimental spaces for artists, and a restaurant. The Lantern is 8m x 30m x 14m and features a space for peace discussions
- Keywords
- Historial Site Redevelopment, Adaptive Reuse Architecture, Peace Monument Design, Urban Regeneration Project, Sustainable architectural interventions, Cultural Heritage Preservation, Memorial Architecture Design
