Legacy echoes of the Qin and Han dynasties frame Xi’an warriors as a standout example of a temporary exhibition that earned attention at the Golden Emporia Awards 2023. Yet the recognition doesn’t stop there for Rocamora, whose work on the Emporia 2023 Election exhibition extends to another project: Miguel Hernández, a poet who inspired toys. A project built around the poet’s final writings opened at the National Library of Spain, running from 6 October 2023 to 5 January 2024.
The 2023 Emporia National Temporary Architecture Awards highlighted excellence in temporary architecture and interior design. Rocamora’s work has repeatedly graced prominent platforms, with six additional exhibitions organized for MARQ. The firm has earned accolades before, including Emporia de Oro in 2022, associated with the Cova de l’Or meeting in Beniarrés in 2017 with the Mayans exhibition at MARQ, and a 2015 exhibition about forts in the state, among others.
Rain of awards for MARQ exhibitions
Elche studio is set to celebrate a new double recognition on 8 February during the Emporia Awards ceremony at Ibercaja Delicias Madrid.
A gripping offering for Xi’an warriors
The international museum project on Xi’an warriors developed at MARQ enabled Rocamora to collaborate with the mausoleum of Emperor Qin Shi Huang, regarded as a pivotal site in world history, and the collection of his terracotta army. Opened on March 28, 2023, and concluding recently, the project was praised for its singular approach that blends curatorial vision with preservation of cultural identity and history education. The experience aims to merge museography with storytelling, delivering a rich, immersive narrative. Since its opening, the exhibition has drawn substantial visitor numbers, with more than 280,000 people experiencing a unique immersion in Chinese history and culture.
The exhibit, which traces the unification of China under Emperor Qin, unfolds in three rooms designed to convey different facets of that era:
- War: A dynamic chamber filled with a silhouetted army and a life-size statue of the emperor on horseback, partly veiled on arrival and revealed through a battle-focused audio-visual system.
- Emperor of Qin: A symmetrical space beneath an architectural canopy with a crafted false perspective and papyrus walls, signifying the stability of the new realm.
- Death of the Emperor: A vast mausoleum with seven warriors encased in circular glass capsules, offering 360-degree visibility beneath a mirrored ceiling that invites visitors to feel a part of the scene.
Designed to feel immersive, the project places the viewer at the center of the museum experience, harmonizing curatorial intent with artistic and design prowess. The team emphasizes how the narrative is strengthened by a careful balance of architecture, lighting, sound, and display, creating a memorable encounter with Chinese history and culture. Since the debut, the exhibition has surpassed expectations and achieved record visitation metrics.
Another image from the MARQ presentation is featured in the project’s showcase, highlighting Rocamora’s ongoing collaboration with such significant historical material.
The milkmaid cloud at the National Library
The Miguel Hernández project centers on the late writings of the Oriolano poet. It presents an allegorical landscape of freedom inspired by verses and stories from those who escaped Alicante’s prison. The National Library of Spain hosts a museum-like architecture that offers information about the poet’s life and works, focusing on the interplay between literature and space.
The exhibition uses a milkmaid cloud motif, evoking the poet’s cell in a backlit tableau that traces Orihuela, Hernández’s homeland. From this setting rises a towering cloud of milkmaids, symbolizing the stories freed from confinement, with the wife’s care revealing the hardship and resilience behind the poet’s life. The craft of this installation invites visitors to feel the poet’s struggle and the enduring theme of liberation.
About Rocamora
Rocamora is an architecture, design, and museography studio that brings to life complex projects through a multi-disciplinary team. The studio focuses on museographic programs and the evaluation of art and historical heritage, spanning architectural, ethnographic, and archaeological contexts. The practice emphasizes development, heritage interpretation, and creative expression grounded in scientific rigor. Its team includes architects, graphic designers, audiovisual specialists, and historians who collaborate to tailor comprehensive solutions to each space and context.
Rocamora concentrates on museum projects and cultural sites, applying strict durability and protection criteria. Current major initiatives include the new Villena Historical Museum, designed to house Villena’s archaeological complex, the Treasure of Villena, and the Isaac Peral House Museum, among others under implementation in Cartagena.