Museu MAE
Museu de Arqueologia e Etnografia de Elvas
Museu de Arqueologia e Etnografia
The Archaeology and Ethnography Museum of Elvas project, in which Sabrab Architecture collaborated, was born from the desire to create a cultural facility capable of enhancing local heritage and providing an immersive visitor experience. Situated in the historic heart of Elvas, the building weaves into the traditional urban fabric—respecting the scale and eaves heights of its neighbors—while asserting itself as a contemporary volume in dialogue with the Alentejo landscape.
The proposal organizes the program into three levels:
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Entrance and Reception – a glazed atrium opening onto the city, welcoming visitors into a fluid circulation space that houses a café and a shop;
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Archaeology Wing – located on the lower floors, where key artifacts discovered in the region are displayed in modular vitrines and along sensory pathways that evoke Roman and medieval everyday life;
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Ethnography Wing – on the upper floors, dedicated to rural traditions, featuring interactive exhibitions on pottery, textiles, and vernacular architecture, flanked by terraces framing views of the fortress walls.
Formally, the building combines exterior façades of local limestone—pierced by horizontal openings that filter light and ensure thermal comfort—with interior elevations clad in cork, a material that evokes the montado landscape and provides acoustic insulation. The central courtyard, with its sand-finished slab and planted perimeter, functions as a “lung” of natural light and cross-ventilation, as well as a convivial space for workshops and outdoor events.
In terms of sustainability, the project incorporates rainwater harvesting for irrigation; a geothermal climate-control system; and a discreet photovoltaic panel array on the roof, aligned with the city’s historic silhouette. In this way, Sabrab Architecture delivers to the Archaeology and Ethnography Museum of Elvas an intervention that balances technical rigor, contextual sensitivity, and a high-quality cultural experience.
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