La Nube 儿童博物馆丨美国埃尔帕索丨Snøhetta

位于美国德克萨斯州埃尔帕索市中心的“云朵馆”（La Nube），是Snøhetta为这座城市设计的全新儿童博物馆。这一项目不仅标志着埃尔帕索在文化建设上的重要里程碑，同时也与毗邻的墨西哥华雷斯市儿童博物馆形成互补。

Located in the heart of El Paso, Texas, the museum marks a new milestone for the city and acts as a complement to the nearby children’s museum in the Mexican city of Juarez.

▼外观概览，exterior overview © Casey Dunn

“云朵馆”以其云朵般的外形、闪耀的外部灯光以及77,000平方英尺的包容性创意学习空间，成为边境城市居民探索可持续发展、地区认同以及“蓝天学习”理念的灵感之地。Snøhetta与埃尔帕索本地建筑事务所Exigo以及展览设计公司Gyroscope合作，打造了这座宛如漂浮在沙漠上空的“云朵”博物馆，连接起不同年龄的人们。

With its cloud-like form, twinkling exterior lighting, and 77,000 square feet of imaginative, inclusive learning space, La Nube stands as an awe-inspiring place for residents of the border city to learn about sustainability, regional identity, and the concept of “Blue Sky Learning.” Partnering with El Paso architects Exigo and exhibition designers, Gyroscope, we designed a museum that reveals itself as a cloud, floating above the desert, connecting all people — young and old alike.

▼街道视角，view from street © Casey Dunn

▼建筑前广场，square in front of the building © Casey Dunn

博物馆坐落于埃尔帕索市中心的艺术区，毗邻充满活力的San Jacinto广场，距离主要的边境通关站El Paso del Norte不到一公里。项目北侧毗邻联合太平洋铁路（Union Pacific Railroad），这是美国西部两条主要的跨洲货运铁路之一。

The museum is positioned within El Paso’s Downtown Arts district, close to the vibrant San Jacinto plaza and less than one kilometer from El Paso del Norte, a major border-crossing station. To the north, the site is bounded by the Union Pacific Railroad, one of two major transcontinental freight lines in the western United States.

▼建筑与城市环境，building and the urban context © Casey Dunn

建筑独特的几何造型使其在城市天际线中脱颖而出。底座为矩形体量，以玻璃幕墙包裹，为路人提供内部一瞥，吸引他们走进公共大厅。顶部则由一系列波浪状的桶形拱顶组成，最终形成云朵般飘逸的屋顶轮廓。

The building’s whimsical geometries immediately set it apart in the city’s skyline: the rectilinear base is wrapped in glass, providing interior views to entice passersby to stop inside the public lobby, and is topped by a rippling succession of barrel vaults which soar to a cloud-like crown.

▼云朵般飘逸的屋顶轮廓，a cloud-like crown © Casey Dunn

博物馆旨在成为该地区家庭的“公民课堂”和活力中心，设计充分考虑如何通过空间本身激发开放式、富有想象力的游戏与探索体验。Snøhetta的设计理念强调将建筑本身作为学习工具。博物馆的一大亮点是以STEAM（科学、技术、工程、艺术与数学）为核心的双语学习体验。展览标识采用英语和西班牙语的无差别双语标识设计，这对于以西班牙裔居民为主的埃尔帕索社区来说意义重大，因为美国的博物馆往往很少将西班牙语置于与英语同等重要的位置。

▼剖面，section © Snøhetta

The museum aims to become a civic classroom and energy point for the region’s families, designed to maximize open-ended and imaginative play and exploration. Snøhetta’s design considers how the museum itself can become a learning tool. One of the unique factors of the museum is the STEAM-focused learning experiences with bilingual, non-hierarchical signage in English and Spanish. El Paso is a predominantly Hispanic community, and too often, museums in the U.S. don’t place Spanish on equal footing with English, so this was a meaningful touch for the community.

▼大厅，hall © Casey Dunn

▼儿童游乐装置，children’s amusement facilities © Casey Dunn

▼装置内部，inside © Casey Dunn

Snøhetta合伙人兼董事总经理Elaine Molinar表示：“‘云朵馆’通过启发儿童与成人想象力的空间和展览，歌颂了埃尔帕索独特的文化与地理环境，同时为这里的居民与游客提供无障碍的教育机会。我们希望博物馆那流动飘逸的曲线、适合儿童的戏水区、趣味展览以及荫凉的花园，能够激励一代又一代的孩子们在这里滋养身心，激发无限潜能。”

“With spaces and exhibits that inspire the imagination of children and adults alike, La Nube celebrates the unique culture and geography of El Paso while providing barrier-free access to educational opportunities to those who live and visit here. We hope that the billowing curves of the museum, it’s kid-friendly splash pad, playful exhibits, and shaded garden will inspire generations of children to nurture their bodies and minds,” says Elaine Molinar, Snøhetta Partner and Managing Director.

▼充满想象力的空间和展览，spaces and exhibits full of the imagination © Casey Dunn

▼餐厅，café © Casey Dunn

▼创意课堂，creativity class © Casey Dunn

▼卫生间，rest room © Casey Dunn