Narona Archaeological Museum
Location: Vid, Metković, Croatia
Type: Competition / 1st prize
Author: Radionica arhitekture / Goran Rako
Collaborators: Blanka Gutschy, Mladen Pandur, Nenad Ravnić
Exhibition: Mario Beusan
Model: Davor Silov
Structure: Branko Galić
Services: Arhingtrade d.o.o.
Designed: 2001 - 2004
Completed: 2007
Contractor: MGA d.o.o.
Clients: Ministry of Culture RH and City of Metković
Area: 1.300 m2
Photo: Miljenko Bernfest, Boris Cvjetanović


The Forum was a central democratic space of the ancient city. This one in Vid was buried more than a thousand years. The excavated Narona testify of the culture which prepare Europe as we know it today, Europe that was constantly confirmed through it's urban continuity. After a thousand years we activating the archaeological space of Narona, and thus connecting the "cutting cord“. Than we assume the activities which will indicated our time, we bring new elements and seek for a new vitality. We reject scenery.

Then we choose geometry as grammar to build the museum over ancient temple. Our task is to form shape that will connect regional language upgraded thousands of years and modern archaeology "container" in archaeology „live“.

Criteria to define "container" from smaller to larger. First, a measure of the artifacts from Roman daily life and scale of discovered sculptures are criteria which will sized the exhibition spaces. Second, the scale of the temple, square / Forum, houses that surrounded museum, the walls of olive and vineyards gardens that climbing up to the church, which sized the building. And the third, above all scales, as "a major revision", a measure of visitors who walk through the exhibition halls, staircases, terraces.