The Batteria di Capo d’Orso rises from the Mediterranean and sits as a lasting reminder of the conflicts of its creators. Although never used in hostilities the site was reinforced throughout its history preparing for invasion from land, sea and air and as such the condition of the granite remains relatively strong. Beauty, meaning and memory are the key ideas behind this proposal and the design centres on creating new opportunities for appreciation rather than overshadowing the existing architecture. This philosophy has led to the reinvention of previous ruins in a palette of concrete whitened with titanium dioxide and corten, a weathered steel. These ingredients seamlessly fit into the beautiful landscape, reading as an extrusion of the mountain itself and abstracting the site typologies whilst remaining true to their own time. Whereas the fortress was a bastion of a war-torn age, at times the difference between life and death, freedom and occupation; the Military Museum can become a beacon of peace. It has the opportunity to signify and celebrate that, despite the many conflicts over the centuries, there will never again be a need to protect the shores from foreign invaders. 

 

    “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”

                                         George Santayana

 

The museum must also devise a sombre meaning. The memory of those who have died in conflict is given new strength when it can prevent further bloodshed. The new architecture of the museum will not only highlight the physical relics of war, but also encourage an inward consideration, a personal reflection on the latent cruelties mankind holds within itself.