Links

Homepage: http://www.high.org/

Richard Meier: http://www.richardmeier.com/

Renzo Piano: http://194.185.232.3/

The High Museum is a part of the Woodruff Arts Center complex and can be found on the corner of Peachtree Street & 16th Street in Midtown Atlanta, Ga. The museum is very accessible from mass transit (MARTA). There are several parking garages in the area for parking with fairly reasonable rates if you want to drive there. But, if at all possible, take MARTA and get off at the Fine Arts Station – this station sits adjacent to the museum.

Unless you have been in an architectural vacuum you know that architect Richard Meier designed the High Museum. The High celebrated its 20th anniversary this last year and was, at one point, considered as one of the top ten architecturally important buildings of the 20th century.

Most recently the High completed construction of an addition designed by architect Renzo Piano. This addition created new gallery space for traveling and permanent collections linking back to the original High building with glass bridges. The addition maintains the same white color of the original High and is placed behind the High from the main street of Peachtree Street.

The following images show both parts of the High, new and old.

This map is an overall aerial of downtown Altanta…

google earth image of woodruff Arts Center complex block in relation to MARTA Station... also showing relationship to addition to original high bldg.

entry ramp to High from Peachtree street...

building & sculpture from corner of Peachree and 16th

Ramps - it is the procession through the High that makes it unique... you can take an elevation to the top floor but then as you want to travel downward through the galleries you use the ramps to get to the next level... the are positioned on the oposite wall to form the atruim space which becomes the devise for orientation of the museum space...

ramp wall and looking up toward skylight...

along the ramp wall on the 2nd level, a walkway between the outside and the ramp wall

standing on the opposite side from the ramp wall looking back... the layering of this piece is pretty cool...

standing at the edge of the gallery space looking at the ramps...

finally, for the original High building, a shot of the play of wall, space, and stucture in the gallery space...

glass bridge to the High addition...

View of Bridge from the outside... this is the connection from the original High to the addition...

approaching the new plaza space... A Philip Johnson building towers in the background... not sure if it was a bad thing or a good thing but the day I took these images it was overcast outside... as you can probably tell :)

from the plaza this looks towards the Weiland wing (right) and the Anne Cox Chambers Wing (left)... the main lobby is in the Weiland wing

view of same corner but from another approach (south)...

same corner but closer...

the entry canopies for the Weiland wing and new main lobby... I am still not sure if I like these pieces and how they work with the building... seem a bit "tacked-on" to me...

The High addition spaces on the plaza level are all open with glass and this is one example of how it opens up... I am standing in the lobby of the Weiland wing and looking out towards 16th street (north)... I didn't get a chance to see it at night but I hear that the addition looks very cool lit up at night and the visually works much better with the plaza space than from the daytime...

dimpled ceiling in the lobby of the Weiland wing

light-wells from the third floor gallery space... even on a cloudy day these really work well to light up the space...

looking back south towards the student housing and art school from the new plaza space...

banner on the outside of the Anne Cox Chambers Wing announcing the display of Renzo's work... a fabulous display of his work from drawings, models (some fantastic work), and other stuff... a "can't miss" if you have the opportunity to see this... I think it will be on display at the High until March 5th of 2006... then I am not sure what will happen to it... would have loved to of shown some pics of the display but I wasn't allowed to shot any pictures :(

and of course the famous detail of the exterior treatment of the addition...

finally a picture showing a hint of the addition top with a bit of a layering of context... this view is from approaching the High from the back and north of the site...

finally, if you want to see more images click here (http://www.flickr.com/photos/84279479@N00/sets/72057594065925154/) for my Flickr set of my recent High Museum visit... hope you enjoyed and if you have some pictures you have taken by all means post them here....

and I almost forgot...

here is the KMZ of the location for the High Museum... :o

I would have to say Renzo Piano’s design has been seamlessly integrated with Richard Meier’s building. Piano didn’t overdo Meyer’s detailing and certainly continues a timeless thread that doesn’t contrast between the two structures. Worthy of a trip, especially if you have the chance to visit Piano’s exhibit (while at the High Museum). Some of the most incredible models I’ve ever seen.

silent friendship is the buildings relationship... :D

Great post Wizum, thank you very much.

I think that there are a lot of "superstar" architects that may have tried to overshadow Meier's work, Piano was the right choice for this project. It is repectful to the work, but still a work of architecture unto itself.

I forgot to post this... but well said imasayer... my thoughts exactly on this piece of architecture... I could only imagine what would have happened if the likes of Gehry or Zaha or someone like that would have been the one choosen to do the design... respect to the original High was the proper approach and I can't think of another architect that uses and approaches context to his design work like Renzo...

I am hoping also to get by there in the evening sometime to take some night shots... I undertand it really comes alive in the evening time...

well here are a few images of the original high at night... my girlfriend wouldn't let me drag my tripod along (we were there for the Jazz night on Friday evening so it was a more social event and evening :))... anyhow, It was interesting to see the atrium space and the museum as a whole at night lit up... the shots I have are from the atruim space of the original high space... I am planning on making a special trip to shoot downtown Atlanta soon and will hopefully have images of the exterior lit up as it looks incredible at night (I think even better than the day time)...

this is looking down at where the largest group of people were hanging out... the jazz mucisians were playing in this space and you can see where down along the facing wall at the bottom...

a shot taken from the top level looking across back at the ramp wall... it was cool to see the interaction of so many people using the space and the ramps... on a normal day you just don't see this kind of activity and it really made the space come alive...

agian from the upper level looking along the ramp wall...

the upper level walking along the ramps seeing the top skylight (just to prove it was nighttime :))

this one is a tad blurred - I am still trying to learn my camera and about taking photos - but it is a cool perspective of the people using the ramps on the many levels as well as the layering of the walls and lights in the evening...

here is a shot of the wall that seperates from the galleries to the atrium space... I wasn't allow to use a flash and or a tripod in the space (nor did I have a tripod as I menitoned earlier) so the image is a bit dark...

and one more taken for fun of the view you get looking north toward some of the mid-town high rises of atlanta from the skywalk that connects you from the old high to one of the new wings...

What did they do about new facilities for the Art School? When I went to GT, we had to design an addition for the Art School backed up to the high...

What did they do about new facilities for the Art School? When I went to GT, we had to design an addition for the Art School backed up to the high...

its adjacent to the High addition to the rear of the site and behind the Woodruff performing arts building...

if you view Post #21 you will see some green in the building in the back... that is the living for the students and the building in front of that building running back at you is the school and then you get to the first gallery wing of the high addition... I will get a hold of a plan and post it to better explain later...

The curving Ramps are a graceful solution.

Has the IBC prohibited curved ramps in the last version 2006? We use the FBC (Florida) so I can not look it up.

It is is true, it is a shame. successful designs like this would have been missed.

Most people that I ever spoke with about the ramps at the High Mueum DID NOT like them:

1. Since the elevator is so well hidden, the ramps end up being the primary vertical circulation element and...
2. The ramps are VERY long. It takes 3 runs to rise 1 floor ( see posts #5 on ). Ramps are a typical dual use piece in most Meier museums [ see Frankfurt for example] (http://www.richardmeier.com/PROJECTS/FrankfurtDec.html) and are used both for circulation and a layered active sculpture however, in this case, the length and exposure to the direct sun made them uncomfortable to use consistently. After several years, the High had to hire another designer to come in and add the walls you see on the right side in Posts #5 and 6 to protect the artwork from the overexposure to direct sunlight. From these images, it doesn't appear that they treated the ramps however...

Most people that I ever spoke with about the ramps at the High Mueum DID NOT like them:

You haven't asked the right people then danbush :) I think the ramps are very successful... since when are you in a hurry when viewing art? it is about the experience of the space and the activity of procession. You travel into the gallery space and then back out to the atrium and ramps. the atrium and ramps act as an orientation devise. The High wouldn't work without them.

The intent of experiencing the High was you took the elevation up to the top level and then used the ramp to progress downward to the other levels to see the art work (similar to the Gugenhiem - FLW's - but the ramps are seperate from the art work)... some of the complaints I had heard, mostly while in school, was that the building itself was an art piece and overpowered the art within it... to some extent I think that is true but a tad over stated... It is an exciting building to be in and experience... Meier fan or not (and I am not the biggest Meier fan overall)...

The curving Ramps are a graceful solution.

Has the IBC prohibited curved ramps in the last version 2006? We use the FBC (Florida) so I can not look it up.

It is is true, it is a shame. successful designs like this would have been missed:

I don't know about the 2006 IBC as Georgia will not change over until January 2007 to the 2006 IBC... I havn't heard of the curving ramp issue elsewhere but here so I don't know what to tell you... maybe someone else could give us an answer?

OK... here is the last batch of images of the High Museum... these hopefully will give you a good feeling for how the exterior looks at night...

This first one is from Peachtree Street looking back towards the new addition with the carved in Sign for the High in the forground... I am standing at the bottom of the entry ramps leading to the origina Museum

This picture is taken from the Woodruff arts center side of the new plaza looking toward the new addition

This one is the taken looking toward the southwest from the new plaza... the Philip Johnson building looms in the background...

This one is standing under the glass canopies looking at the new lobby entry in the Weiland Wing... I had a hard time getting the letters of the High Museum to show up well because of the strong lights they have shining up on the building face... anyhow, it was fun shooting this building with the contrast of light and dark... and it was cool seeing how the lower spaces open up to the plaza with their glass and help to really open up the plaza space... just too bad it is so far off the main street and that street not the most pedestrian friendly...

This usher was nice enough to pose for me on the upper skywalk (as I call them)... I should have zoomed in a bit more but I still like the way the skywalks illuminate...

This is the smaller plaza area just to the south of the new main plaza. This seperates the Woodruff building from the new arts school (danbush, this one is for you :)). the tower in the background is a new building that is just finishing up... it is the first high-rise that has gone up in the main midtown area in a while and it is a very modern clean design with the interesting "fins" of extensions of the main facade that stretches up and then curves inward beyond the main core mass of the building...

and yes this building stands out in the midtown area :)

This is the final picture I will post to this thread on the high... It is a great building and I always enjoy going there... If you do have the chance to be in atlanta do check it out... :cheers:

Wizum...your email is so 2003 ;)

I love that sculpture of the pixel guy! Reminds me of this cool game (http://www.darwinia.co.uk/).
Thanks for all the pictures you posted. That meier atrium is more that I expected from "him" (http://www.richardmeier.com/)

Wizum...your email is so 2003 ;)

:D yeah... well I had done the wizum@yahoo thing originally but then forgot my password and could never get to it... so I had to compromise, in 2003 :) I know, I'm just not cool... I do what I can...

...I could only imagine what would have happened if the likes of Gehry or Zaha or someone like that would have been the one choosen to do the design... respect to the original High was the proper approach and I can't think of another architect that uses and approaches context to his design work like Renzo...

I´m in total agreement. Renzo is the ONE for this.

Great thread Wizum. Thanks for sharing !!!!

:cheers:

can't believe that I missed this thread...

Wizum, excellent photographical journal. I definitely need to get down towards the southeast someday. Even for just this building.

Saw the details regarding the skylighting system in a few other magazines. Outstanding control of light as always in Piano's works.

thanks for taking the time to post it.

Wizum:

Thanks again for the images. I was in school at GT when the IBM tower by Johnson was finishing. Our first day in studio, a big red skycrane helicopter lifted the gold spindle and set it on the roof peak. They were building skyscrapers the whole time I lived there. We toured several towers during our studios - very fun and informative.

Probably one of my favorites is the C&S tower where they left the roof panels off exposing the structure which is lighted at night...

My brother is living in Atlanta and we visit often. Perhaps we can connect and tour the new addition together...

Wizum,

I missed the night photos! They came out great, really beautiful images. Great post!

thanks for the comments guys... I love going down to this area and specifically this building... there is just a life it has... I was not in Atlanta when you apparently where going to Tech DanBush but I remember when a lot of that was happening... I was just starting college at the time and my first architectural related courses... and if you do come to town message me through PPB or through yahoo and let me know... would be great to meet a fellow PPB'er and see some architecture...

Really amazing!! I missed this thread too,but glad I found it!.. You're natural-born for fotography.. :eek: ( or camera is too good:P)

Thanks for this a lot!!!:not worth

Really amazing!! I missed this thread too,but glad I fund it!.. You natural-born for fotography.. :eek: ( or camera is too good:P)

Thanks for this a lot!!!:not worth

Thanks for the kind words Titja... I am actually going to be heading to the high for an exhibit Saturday morning. I hear the morning light in the atrium is fantastic. We will see :)