comment
Newark City Hall
Griffith Observatory
University Art Gallery, Kahn Building
The Laboratory of Art + Ideas at Belmar
Mechanical Hall, University of Delaware
Portland Art Museum
Prizery Community Arts Center
John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art
Synygy World Headquarters
Temple Emanu-elThe Mark Building and The Jubitz Center for Modern and Contemporary Art at The Portland Art Museum
The Portland Art Museum is the oldest museum in the Pacific Northwest, with stunning acquisitions and special exhibitions presented in three 20th-century landmark structures. Ann Beha Architects completed their third major expansion and restoration project for the museum, converting a historic Masonic Temple to a new home for museum exhibitions, programs, and offices. Formerly a closed, windowless structure, the temple now provides over 140,000 square feet of new space for contemporary and modern collections, and serves as the centerpiece for museum programs and administration.
Based on what you have seen and read about this project, how would you grade it? Use the stars below to indicate your assessment, five stars being the highest rating.
The design challenge was to transform a dark, massive landmark into an accessible and dynamic center for art and community. At the building base, high cast-stone walls were removed, and replaced with terraced plinths for sculpture and plantings, offering a series of gradual level changes. This new pedestrian level opens the building to the public, and extends the vocabulary of the new sculpture court. Below the sculpture court, the temple joins the original museum via underground galleries. A new 60-foot-tall glass "pleat" is cut into the south elevation, offering expansive views to the city from five levels of galleries. Two new glass penthouses are used for special exhibitions, and meeting and workspaces, with abundant light and views.
The museum wing provides 30,000 square feet for contemporary art galleries, 25,000 square feet for administrative offices, and restored monumental spaces for museum programs and gatherings. Meeting spaces are distributed throughout the building to encourage programs and educational activities.
The design approach invites a dialogue between old and new, contrasting the massive historic masonry bulk with the transparency of glass interventions. The transformation secures the temple's future survival by deploying contemporary design in combination with historic preservation.
Formal name of project: The Mark Building and The Jubitz Center for Modern and Contemporary Art at the Portland Art Museum
Location:
Portland, Oregon
Gross square footage:
146,000 sq.f t.
Total construction cost:
$32 Million
Owner:
Portland Art Museum, Portland, OR
Architect:
Ann Beha Architects,
33 Kingston Street,
Boston, MA 02111,
ph: (617) 338-3000,
fax: (617) 482-9097
www.annbeha.com/
Video
Sign in to Comment
To write a comment about this story, please sign in. If this is your first time commenting on this site, you will be required to fill out a brief registration form. Your public username will be the beginning of the email address that you enter into the form (everything before the @ symbol). Other than that, none of the information that you enter will be publically displayed.