ENGINEER MIRA

HOUSE MUSE
Customer: Guardamar del Segura City Council Date: 2019 Categories: Ethnography, Permanent Exhibition, Valorization
Location: Plaça de la Constitució, Guardamar del Segura (Alicante), Spain Production: Patrimonio Inteligente Museum Design: Raquel González, Rocamora Diseño y Arquitectura Photographs: Rocamora Diseño y Arquitectura
The Casa Museo Ingeniero Mira offers an immersive experience in the history of reforestation through a museum design and restored architecture that highlight the work of the illustrious engineer Francisco Mira. Located in Guardamar del Segura, this house-museum reveals the transcendental contribution of Mira and his team in the transformation of a desert landscape into a lush forest, as a strategy to slow the advance of the dunes and protect the urban area.
The museum design of the Casa Museo Ingeniero Mira combines elements of restoration and modernity to offer an educational and visually striking experience. The restoration carried out in 2019, with municipal support and European funds, has returned the building to its original structure, eliminating improper reforms of the twentieth century. The interior of the house has been carefully refurbished to incorporate new exhibition rooms, including the engineer’s bedroom and office, as well as a period weather station, preserving the historic essence of the site.
The museographic design presents a detailed narration of Francisco Mira’s work through photographic documentation, original furniture and historical furnishings. The exhibits include the engineer’s uniforms, tools and personal items, such as his camera and magic lantern, which provide an intimate view of his work. The museography also highlights the life and work of the forest rangers, showing objects recovered from Mira’s house in Hondón de las Nieves.
The museum’s architecture has been renovated to enhance the originality of the building. Modern construction elements have been eliminated, highlighting the historical authenticity. The interior courtyards have been remodeled to include a recreation of a dune and pots with plants used in reforestation, accompanied by explanatory panels illustrating the process of dune fixation.
The Engineer Mira House Museum not only preserves the memory of reforestation, but also educates the public about environmental impact and the importance of sustainability. With nearly 600,000 trees planted and the creation of roads and wells for irrigation, the museum celebrates the monumental task carried out by Francisco Mira and his team, offering a lasting tribute to their contribution to the preservation of the environment.