A MUSEUM OF EMOTIONAL TOPOGRAPHY / ALIZA ANWAR

 

This project is grounded in the conceptual contrast between life shaped by comfort and privilege and life shaped by conflict, survival, and constraint. It examines how these opposing conditions can exist simultaneously within the same physical ground, yet remain separated by level, visibility, and access. Rather than representing these themes symbolically, the project translates them into spatial experiences through section, movement, and materiality. 

The architecture is organized vertically as a layered system. Above ground, spaces are open, elevated, and visually connected to the surrounding landscape, representing ease of movement, openness, and control over one’s environment. Below ground, spaces become enclosed, inward-looking, and controlled, evoking conditions associated with protection, vulnerability, and survival. This division allows users to experience the conceptual contrast directly through spatial transition rather than through explicit narrative or imagery. 

Movement between these layers is carefully choreographed. Ramps and stairs slow the user’s descent and ascent, creating a gradual shift in atmosphere rather than an abrupt change. The ramp functions as a reflective threshold, where users remain visually connected to both the upper and lower spaces, becoming aware of the coexistence of contrasting conditions. A central courtyard with a tree acts as a vertical anchor, allowing light, views, and awareness to pass through all levels and reinforcing continuity between them. 

The final architectural form emerged through iterative testing of section and circulation in response to the site’s topography. Rather than prioritizing an iconic object, the design evolved as an extension of the ground itself. Exposed concrete, landscape integration, and controlled natural light emphasize weight, enclosure, and openness where appropriate. Ultimately, the project positions ground as an architectural interface through which themes of privilege and conflict are spatially revealed and experienced.