Frame and Form

The headquarters of Jurassic Museum of Asturias (MUJA), is located in an exceptional site on the Cantabrian coast in the municipality of Asturias Colunga. Designed by architect Rufino Uribelarrea, The museum opened in 2004.

museum interior MUJA - Image © Media Wood

This is a spectacular building with a striking cover in the form offingerprint countermould kittiwake, characteristic of the dinosaurs. The large deck space is articulated by the intersection of three vaults elipsoidales forming a large open space of exposure2500 m2.

Museum MUJA - Image © Government Asturias

As often happens in building, is during the construction phase where the structure is more openly. Then a series of images and details of the deck and plywood elements for the realization.

deck construction - Image © Media Wood

In the ellipsoids MUJA, Geometric figures generated after the revolution of ellipses, ably have been discretized into a set of structural elements. Each guideline has an ellipsoid (crest) comprises a large central elliptical arc cross beams perpendicular semicircle arc.

deck construction - Image © Media Wood

Interestingly, each family as main arches are supported on the concrete substructure, consistent with how to convey their reactions. Thus, The elliptical arch resting on buttresses reflected its significant horizontal reactions, and yet, semicircular arches supported on the perimeter wall because here are transmitted only vertical reactions.

deck construction - Image © Media Wood

The roof structure is made entirely of laminated wood. Plywood is a versatile technological materials. Is formed with pieces of wood together with adhesive so that the natural fibers are parallel to the axis of the element. In this way you can get parts,are not limited in its cross section, length or shape.

deck construction - Image © Media Wood

In the words ofthe office responsible for structural design:

‘Plywood has excellent stability in case of fire, better resistance equivalent weight, lightness, absence of intermediate supports, rapid assembly, invariance against aggressive chemical environments. The excellent features of the plywood, make it an ideal material in large spans and spaces for public use. & #8217;

deck construction - Image © Media Wood

deck construction - Image © Media Wood

As is clear from Diego Nunez, describing the work of the cover inWood Technical Blog:

‘The wooden structure consists of three orders. For each of the volumes is a backbone, who works in an arc, supported at its ends in reinforced concrete buttresses. The spine of the central volume, that saves a free light 55 meters at plant, was taken to work in three installments, two boards to be required for assembly of continuity. At the intersection of the three volumes are arranged a limahoya also arched. The second-order series is composed of ribs,circular arcs each a different radio, supporters on the first order and on a concrete structure in its lower. The third order is composed guideline also straps curve. Some of them are props belts and ensure overall stability, while others simply serve to anchor entablazón constituting the first pitch of the roof, which was finally topped with a copper plate. & #8217;

hierarchical structure detail - Image © Blog coach Wood

main structure schema - Image © Blog coach Wood

The cover feature closes with a copper skin, in the words of the European association for the development of architectural copper ‘withoxidará gradually to brown and dark, and then, after several years, the typical green patina of aged copper, protect the building and its contents for decades, even in the aggressive marine environment. & #8217;

Main components of the team responsible for the work:

PROJECT MANAGER: Rufino Uribelarrea ARCHITECT
ROOF STRUCTURAL DESIGN: WOOD MEDIA BUSINESS ADMINISTRATORS
WORKS MANAGEMENT: Rufino Uribelarrea ARCHITECT
CONTRACTOR'S WORK: SANCHEZ AND LAKE
SUBCONTRACTOR GLULAM: PAUL GAUTHIER