Gardner Museum Expansion | Fenway

Re: Gardner Museum to undertake $60 million expansion

I don't understand the cost numbers. The article says the museum raised $114 million for construction costs, yet the Piano addition cost a bit more than half that. Is the rest of the money to be spent restoring the original palazzo/museum?
 
Re: Gardner Museum to undertake $60 million expansion

stellarfun said:
I don't understand the cost numbers. The article says the museum raised $114 million for construction costs, yet the Piano addition cost a bit more than half that. Is the rest of the money to be spent restoring the original palazzo/museum?
Click to expand...

No, I think most of it is going into a kind of endowment for upkeep and maintenance.
 
Re: Gardner Museum to undertake $60 million expansion

vanshnookenraggen said:
Interesting... none of the pictures in that slide show actually show the old and new buildings side by side. This slight makes the new addition much more attractive than it is in real life.
Click to expand...

Isn't that half the reason that it was held away from the original building and separated by a 50 foot glass connector, so as to stand apart?

Can we clarify what the critique is:
That it looks attractive when not seen in photos that show its adjacency to the old building?
That it doesn't mimic the old building; that glass and copper aren't appropriate for Boston or the Fenway?
That it doesn't match the rendering? Oh please...

I haven't been in the museum and haven't rushed to form an opinion, but generally speaking don't Renzo Piano's buildings need to be experienced from inside to really have a feel for the space? He's an architect with a big name, but not one whose buildings lend to flashy photo spreads, unless it's for high end tectonic details. De Menil is quite an unassuming art gallery from the exterior, but inside the galleries and the sense of light are top notch.
 
Re: Gardner Museum to undertake $60 million expansion

I agree that whatever charms this building has are on the inside. Functionally, this is a game-changer for the Gardner--just having space for resituating the "business" functions from the palace and adding performance space creates a completely different institution.
 
Re: Gardner Museum to undertake $60 million expansion

Tombstoner said:
No, I think most of it is going into a kind of endowment for upkeep and maintenance.
Click to expand...
From the archrecord article:
The addition took two years to complete and was result of a $180 million capital campaign that allocated $114 million to construction costs and $46 million for operating costs and the museum’s endowment.
Click to expand...

Aside from the fact that $114 and $46 don't = $180.....

In April 2009, Boston magazine stated the price tag for the new wing was "conservatively estimated" at $60 million,

http://www.bostonmagazine.com/articles/the_lady_of_the_house/

and $60 million was pretty much the standard estimate from December 2007 on.
 
Re: Gardner Museum to undertake $60 million expansion

I'll save my final critique for when this building opens but after swinging by while I went through Boston this weekend I have to say it looks like something took a giant green shit behind the ISG Museum.

I'll get to the color later but first what is offensive is that they moved the entire entrance to the new addition. This is the same mistake the MFA made with the I.M. Pie wing and I have a feeling in 30 years they will want to move it back.

The shape is strange. I have no problem with the addition as a singular object; the lines and massing are fine. But sitting next to the original building it just doesn't make any sense. It's the same height but it just doesn't feel right.

And the color. What. The. Fuck. No seriously, after what kind of coke binge did someone think that was a good idea? A limestone or lighter color stone would be fine, in fact it would tone down the entire project and make the addition jive better. Hot Copper Green? Someone needs to pay for this.

The Architectural presses will swoon over this because none of them will actually go to the building and only see it from pictures taken from strategic angles that conveniently obscure the original building. What a disgrace.
 
Re: Gardner Museum to undertake $60 million expansion

It will be interesting to see how this copper ages and weathers. Wasn't the cladding that was added to Charles MGH similar to this? Because that seems to have developed a nice patina.
 
Re: Gardner Museum to undertake $60 million expansion

If the architect knows something about how the copper will age then props to him. As it stands it's a fatal choice.
 
Re: Gardner Museum to undertake $60 million expansion

aren't vines supposed to grow from out of some of the copper panels?
 
Re: Gardner Museum to undertake $60 million expansion

Looks fantastic -- cannot wait until it opens to the general public. Personally, I find the building and copper cladding interesting, if not a bit perplexing.
 
Re: Gardner Museum to undertake $60 million expansion

That's the thing, it works on it's own. But next to the Gardner building it conflicts too much.
 
Re: Gardner Museum to undertake $60 million expansion

The name 'Calderwood Hall' is a bit unfortunate since there's already a Calderwood theatre a couple miles away in the South End. I hope this doesn't ever lead to people arriving at the wrong venue.
 
Re: Gardner Museum to undertake $60 million expansion

Isn't there a "Calderwood Pavilion" somewhere too?
 
Re: Gardner Museum to undertake $60 million expansion

Beton Brut said:
An interesting account of the Gardner's new performance venue, Calderwood Hall.
Click to expand...

This is an interesting review, thanks Beton.

The author seems like a fairly upbeat, optimistic person. And not doubt is thankful to the Gardener staff for bringing them in for the gig.

I'm curious to see what happens when a more cantankerous musician plays there and has to rearrange their set up 30 times in order to get the optimal sound out of the room.
 
Re: Gardner Museum to undertake $60 million expansion

found5dollar: Yes, that's the theatre I was referring to in the South End.
 
Re: Gardner Museum to undertake $60 million expansion

There are more photos on Dezeen, too

I like how this gallery looks onto the original mansion

dezeen_Isabella-Stewart-Gardner-Museum-extension-by-Renzo-Piano-11.jpg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top