Houston19514 Posted December 13, 2010 Share Posted December 13, 2010 It's nice that the New York Times did a big piece on him. A good recognition of his work and the stature of the Houston arts community.http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/12/arts/design/12marzio.html?_r=1He will be hard to replace. But no doubt the MFAH will have no shortage of exceedingly well-qualified applicants. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lockmat Posted December 13, 2010 Share Posted December 13, 2010 I wonder if the museum and/or his replacement will continue with his plan for that new building? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
august948 Posted May 27, 2011 Share Posted May 27, 2011 (edited) From the Chron...http://www.chron.com...an/7583567.htmlThe new building will house post-1900 art. Not sure if this is going up on the parking lot about a block north of Bissonnet on Montrose. The article suggest just across Bissonnet from the main museum buildings. Edited May 27, 2011 by august948 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simbha Posted May 27, 2011 Share Posted May 27, 2011 Excellent new, IMO. I wonder what the name will be... It's possible it's named for the Alfred Glassell, Jr or even Peter Marzio himself - or another major donor, if one emerges.It's exciting to see some great names being batted around for the design firm.To the mods: This topic may be best merged with (the?) original topic found here: http://www.houstonarchitecture.com/haif/topic/24047-new-mfah-building. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Houston19514 Posted May 27, 2011 Share Posted May 27, 2011 Excellent new, IMO. I wonder what the name will be... It's possible it's named for the Alfred Glassell, Jr or even Peter Marzio himself - or another major donor, if one emerges.It's exciting to see some great names being batted around for the design firm.To the mods: This topic may be best merged with (the?) original topic found here: http://www.houstonarchitecture.com/haif/topic/24047-new-mfah-building.I'd put my money on Peter Marzio. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bachanon Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 mfah website link/map press release on the mfah website includes the placement of the new building and links to each of the three architectural firms. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subdude Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 Excellent new, IMO. I wonder what the name will be... It's possible it's named for the Alfred Glassell, Jr or even Peter Marzio himself - or another major donor, if one emerges.It's exciting to see some great names being batted around for the design firm.To the mods: This topic may be best merged with (the?) original topic found here: http://www.houstonarchitecture.com/haif/topic/24047-new-mfah-building.Done.I hope the new building is more of a success than the Beck. Marzio went the "starchitect" route with the latter and I think it turned out a fairly major disappointment design-wise. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simbha Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 Done.Thanks. Just out of curiosity -- How are the number of views of a topic on the forum affected by topic merges? Does the system just sum the views? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simbha Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 (edited) I hope the new building is more of a success than the Beck. Marzio went the "starchitect" route with the latter and I think it turned out a fairly major disappointment design-wise. I like the design of the Beck - but I understand that (perhaps 'objectively') it was a disappointment to many. I hope the design of the new building bridges the spaces around it well - specifically, the Law building, the Beck building, the Methodist church, the Presbyterian church, and the sculpture garden. Perhaps I'm too optimistic... That's a lot to ask... Edited May 28, 2011 by Simbha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shasta Posted July 1, 2011 Share Posted July 1, 2011 Not sure if this thread has been created yet but they've narrowed the designer of the new building down to three architects.http://swamplot.com/the-three-finalists-chosen-to-design-the-mfahs-next-building/2011-05-31/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simbha Posted July 1, 2011 Share Posted July 1, 2011 There's an existing thread here: http://www.houstonarchitecture.com/haif/topic/24952-new-mfah-bulidingI don't think that Swamplot posting is on there, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subdude Posted July 2, 2011 Share Posted July 2, 2011 There's an existing thread here: http://www.houstonarchitecture.com/haif/topic/24952-new-mfah-bulidingI don't think that Swamplot posting is on there, though.Note duplicate topics merged. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shasta Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 http://www.chron.com...ign-2972381.php 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jax Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 Groovy, I can't wait to see a rendering. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shasta Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 Groovy, I can't wait to see a rendering.According to the article, the timeline is 5-7 years and they (MFAH) aren't exactly sure what they want the museum to be so we may be waiting for a little while. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simbha Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 (edited) In the absence of renderings, here are some shots of contemporary art museums which Holl's firm has designed around the world. I've also provided square footage for each building. The plot for the new building is around the same size as that for the Beck Building, which has roughly 190,000 square feet of floor space. All the images I've posted below are from the website of Steven Holl Architects. I've chosen one exterior view and one interior view in each case. More images of each can be found on the website itself (here). Herning Museum of Contemporary Art, Herning Denmark Size: 56,000 sqft Status: Completed Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art (Addition and Restoration), Kansas City, MO Size: 165,000 sqft Status: Completed Kiasma Museum of Contemporary Art, Helsinki, Finland Size: 130,000 sqft Status: Completed While not a museum of contemporary art, the Museum of Natural History in LA is in its design phase and may offer clues regarding elements which may find their way into the MFAH expansion: Museum of Natural History of Los Angeles County, Los Angeles, CA Size: 80,000 sqft Status: Design Edited February 3, 2012 by Simbha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lockmat Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 So we can expect a cold feeling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pleak Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 Well, it is for the modern collection. So we shouldn't expect it to be too classical looking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Montrose1100 Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 The exterior renderings are very nice, but notice how the ”european attic ceiling” shows up in all of the designs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
largeTEXAS Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 The scope of this project is pretty huge. In general, this building is supposed to link the entire "campus" together, add parking, add exhibition space, add a library, add community features, "bring Hermann Park to the Sculpture Garden," etc.High expectations, as there should be. I just hope we can get some awesome green walls! Well, and a cool, functional building. And, better sidewalks, and good dining options... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subdude Posted February 5, 2012 Share Posted February 5, 2012 Pretty uninspiring stuff, especially the one in Kansas City that just looks cheap and tacked on. Still, I'm glad MFAH didn't go the 'starchitect' route. I always thought the Beck addition was an awful design that they signed off on to get the name. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texasota Posted February 5, 2012 Share Posted February 5, 2012 Eh, Stephen Holl is pretty much a starchitect, and his work is not uninspiring. It doesn't photograph fantastically, but there's a subtlety and attention to natural light that makes for amazing spaces in person. My experience with his buildings is limited to his expansion of the architecture building at the University of Minnesota, but coming from that space down to Johnson's excremental postmodern abortion of a Ledoux scribble was quite a change. Here's a terrible exterior shot: My biggest concern has to do with the fact that this new building is supposed to unite MFAH's campus. The Rapson Hall addition integrates beautifully with the original Modernist building, but it's relationship to its greater context is more...questionable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subdude Posted February 5, 2012 Share Posted February 5, 2012 My biggest concern has to do with the fact that this new building is supposed to unite MFAH's campus.That is gong to be quite a challenge. There certainly wasn't any concern for unity with the older structures when the Beck building was designed. That said, the Brown Pavilion is brilliant and is in a totally different style from the original wing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simbha Posted February 5, 2012 Share Posted February 5, 2012 My biggest concern has to do with the fact that this new building is supposed to unite MFAH's campus.That is gong to be quite a challenge. There certainly wasn't any concern for unity with the older structures when the Beck building was designed. That said, the Brown Pavilion is brilliant and is in a totally different style from the original wing.Is this what's meant by their 'unification' statement? I always interpreted it simply as providing physical (not visual/architectural) continuity between the Law and Beck buildings and the sculpture garden. Sure, architectural consistency might be optimal, but I don't see that as being a primary goal. (It's not as though my opinion matters, however.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texasota Posted February 5, 2012 Share Posted February 5, 2012 Yeah, i don't think visual continuity is either intended nor desirable, but creating a meaningful spatial continuity across Main and Bissonet is plenty of challeng on its own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subdude Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 What does "meaningful spatial continuity" mean? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texasota Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 Haha, it means I've been in grad school too long.Basically- how do you make two city blocks separated by a street feel like a single continuous experience? How do you dissolve the boundary created by the street? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simbha Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 Could someone explain to me the basic elements that an architect would be looking to achieve in this case? I recognize that architectural design is a creative endeavor, but are there some standards that would be followed in a case like this? I'm not talking about codes or regulations, but instead design standards that would be followed in order to achieve the effect that is sought.I'd like to better understand how an architect would even think to create a design in this case.For what it's worth: Of the above designs, I really like the exteriors of the Herning and Kiasma, but not the Nelson-Atkins addition or the LA Museum of Natural History. The Nelson-Atkins addition just seems like it's got too much contrast with the other building (I assume that's what's next-door). I don't care for that thing jutting out of the LA museum (and I recognize that it's still in the design phase). But, on the other hand, the Herning really seems to fit well in that space, and the Kiasma is a beautiful, modern looking building in an urban space. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swtsig Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 Pretty uninspiring stuff, especially the one in Kansas City that just looks cheap and tacked on. Still, I'm glad MFAH didn't go the 'starchitect' route. I always thought the Beck addition was an awful design that they signed off on to get the name. i actually agree with your opinion that the KC one looks rather uninspired (at least it does in that photo) but according to the culturemap article that came out last week, that building is considered one of the most architecturally significant designs of the past decade. i guess that just goes to show how much we know Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strickn Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 The (KC) Nelson-Atkins' corrugated siding stuff is called channel glass, and modernist architects like it because it wasn't around in the era of modernism so to them it looks un-unoriginal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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