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The Charles M. Schulz Museum and
Research Center
Santa Rosa, Calif.
C. David Robinson Architects
Modest scale and quiet humor temper
this whimsical place
© Richard Barnes |
For more photos click on 'photos
& drawings' above.
To see the people and products
behind this project click on 'people & products.'
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The design of this small museum devoted
to Charles M. Schulz and his Peanuts characters responds not
only to its residential context, but to the sense of quiet
humor and strong community which is evident in the comic strip.
It is specifically designed to present Schulz’s small-scale,
original artwork.
From the outset, every design decision
has been based on a single question: "Would Sparky (a.k.a.,
Charles Schulz) be comfortable here?" His Minnesota roots
have determined a palette of rich stone and dark wood. The
overall structure of the building is intended to have the
comfortable ambiance of a residence. The scale is intended
to put visitors in the shoes of the small characters who inhabit
the Peanuts world. The building’s exterior is a series
of walls, or planes, distinguished from each other by color
and texture. This planar approach reflects the two-dimensionality
of the cartoon strips themselves. The use of black refers
to the famous Schulz "line," and the accents of
strong color suggest the playful whimsy of his cartoon world.
Internally, the design strives to provide
museum staff with a variety of spaces within which to display
all kinds and scales of materials. Displays range from Schulz’s
original artwork, which is the collection’s heart, to
very large-scale pictures derived from the fifty-year legacy
of the Peanuts gang. The variety of spatial scale and configuration
offers flexibility to an institution whose vision may evolve
for years to come.
Formal name
of Project:
The Charles M. Schulz Museum and Research Center
Location:
Santa Rosa, Calif.
Gross square
footage:
27,384 sq ft
Total construction
cost:
$11 million
Owner:
Charles M. Schulz Museum Board
Architect:
C. David Robinson Architects
250 Sutter Street Suite 600
San Francisco, CA 94108
tel: 415-291-8680
fax: 415-291-8737
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