[Akron] Addition to The Akron Art Museum

[ryarch]

What little I know about the local scoop: The museum has been raising funds for 10 years. More than 80% of the $30 million from private donors.

The competition: A 'jury' was assembled that included 5 local architects (none of which were me, lol) and an Architectural Curator from Pittsburgh's Carnegie Museum of Art. They apparently looked at 125 architects that were 'internationally renouned'. There was a stink about not choosing a local architect for the work by some selfish assholes, but I'm glad that they didn't do that. They narrowed it down to 30 that they invited to submit preliminary designs.

From that they chose 3:
UN Studio of Amsterdam, Snøhetta of Oslo and Coop Himmelb(l)au

All submitted more refined versions of thier orginal schemes and Coop won.

Then there was a big scramble to become the 'local architect' and builder. Not many firms went after it, though. It scared smaller firms. Most of the competition was local offices of larger firms, like URS.

It going to be KICK-ASS!

Principal Wolf Prix explains, "This design is based on the paradigm of interactivity. The new building…reorganizes the existing building, integrating it into a unified whole. History is not destroyed or forgotten but intelligently folded into the future."

That means: KICK-ASS!

[wizum]

What little I know about the local scoop: The museum has been raising funds for 10 years. More than 80% of the $30 million from private donors.

The competition: A 'jury' was assembled that included 5 local architects (none of which were me, lol) and an Architectural Curator from Pittsburgh's Carnegie Museum of Art. They apparently looked at 125 architects that were 'internationally renouned'. There was a stink about not choosing a local architect for the work by some selfish assholes, but I'm glad that they didn't do that. They narrowed it down to 30 that they invited to submit preliminary designs.

From that they chose 3:
UN Studio of Amsterdam, Snøhetta of Oslo and Coop Himmelb(l)au

All submitted more refined versions of thier orginal schemes and Coop won.

Then there was a big scramble to become the 'local architect' and builder. Not many firms went after it, though. It scared smaller firms. Most of the competition was local offices of larger firms, like URS.

It going to be KICK-ASS!

Principal Wolf Prix explains, "This design is based on the paradigm of interactivity. The new building…reorganizes the existing building, integrating it into a unified whole. History is not destroyed or forgotten but intelligently folded into the future."

That means: KICK-ASS!

LOL... nice description Ryarch... thanks for posting that... I am anxious to see the bugger...

[wizum]

Any news of this one Ryarch? any pics?

[ryarch]

I'll get back at it in a week or so. It's looking cool, but the weather here sucks. Ohio in the fall/winter when the leaves are already gone. Any shade of grey that you want...we got it. I post some pics soon. Promise.

[wizum]

I'll get back at it in a week or so. It's looking cool, but the weather here sucks. Ohio in the fall/winter when the leaves are already gone. Any shade of grey that you want...we got it. I post some pics soon. Promise.

Looking forward to seeing them... yeah, I was in Ohio earlier this last year, March I think, and that is all I saw... Grey makes me miss Florida sometimes...

[ryarch]

An update as to the progress of the Akron Art Museum construction. Most of the building is closed in for the season. The only thing left is the large expanse of glazing over and around the front entrance. All of the metal panels are in and the 'flying wing' is covered with panels and a steel grid.There is still alot to do. I don't believe they are scheduled to open for more than a year from now. Apparently 'kick-ass' takes time and money.

I will continue to keep you posted. I enjoy doing this. I am really pumped about this building!

[ryarch]

You can see the cladding on the cantilevered section. The difference between the metal panels and the metal grid/screen.

[ryarch]

Nice lamp post, huh?

[ryarch]

A detial of the cantilever over the entrance.

[ryarch]

The addition from the other direction (looking north). More solid than the entry. The new galleries are in this section of the building. This metal clad piece in the forground of the building wraps around the back. A reverse 'L-shaped', if you will. It lays to the south and east of the original building.So, the metal 'L' and the original building create a 'U', and the new entry sits at the open end of the 'U'.

Does that make sense?

[ryarch]

Forgot the pic?!

[ryarch]

The north-east side of the building. Kind of the bottom right corner of the 'U-shape'. You can see the concrete elevator tower in the right-center of the pic. It is canted in a couple of directions. Note the cantilevered wing reaching over the original building.

[ryarch]

Entrance from across the street and @ the second floor of adjacent parking garage.

[ryarch]

Detail @ building connection near entry.

[ryarch]

damn, the pic, again!?

[ryarch]

More...

[ryarch]

another...

[ryarch]

Last, for now. I'll keep posting if interest is there.

[carbide]

great photos.

any idea what generated the form of the, erm, roof cloud?

[cacapis]

Looking good.
True, it doesn't seem to be going fast, probably those weird forms are difficult to build.
But that is actually good for us, it gives you more opportunities to take pictures for us in more stages of the construction
Thank you!!!

By the way, there seems to be some weird vertical and horizontal lines in your pictures.