The "New" Memphis Brooks Museum of Art

[MDC26]

56 minutes ago, The Guardian of Memphis said:

It's probably a good thing they don't have trees, so people can actually see the cobblestones. Some landscaping would be nice, to break up the monotony of stones. I don't agree with the parking.

What do you not agree with?  I don’t even know if there will be parking there anymore or not. 

[The Guardian of Memphis]

22 hours ago, MDC26 said:

What do you not agree with?  I don’t even know if there will be parking there anymore or not. 

Won't parking contribute to the wear and tear of the cobblestones? This isn't a parking lot, and since people will be visiting the fountains, it may look tacky to see cars parked on the cobblestones. People need to envision what it was once like in the past being that it is an integral part of our history. If there needs to be parking, park near the Tennessee Welcome Center, etc.

[MDC26]

4 hours ago, The Guardian of Memphis said:

Won't parking contribute to the wear and tear of the cobblestones? This isn't a parking lot, and since people will be visiting the fountains, it may look tacky to see cars parked on the cobblestones. People need to envision what it was once like in the past being that it is an integral part of our history. If there needs to be parking, park near the Tennessee Welcome Center, etc.

I don’t know. The cobblestones probably hold up better than asphalt. It’s a massive area with nothing on it.  I doubt there will be hundreds of people frolicking along it at any time.  In its hey day it probably wasn’t  pretty - it would have been filled with cotton bales, other parcels, lumber, carts, and mules. I do hope they break it up and put out some planters with nice landscaping. I’m fine either way regarding parking. I’m sure the local riverboat company would prefer parking on it. 

[Memphis4ever]

Demo pic from yesterday. 

[James Owen]

Bumping this thread as new renderings were revealed today for the New Brooks Museum of Art.

New design details revealed for Memphis Brooks Museum of Art's Downtown space

By Stephen MacLeod  –  Reporter, Memphis Business Journal

https://www.bizjournals.com/memphis/news/2023/03/29/new-design-details-brooks-museum-of-art-downtown.html?cx_testId=40&cx_testVariant=cx_32&cx_artPos=7#cxrecs_s

For those who can't read the article, the museum is supposed to be going before the Downtown Memphis Commission's Design Review Board next Wednesday.

Here is a copy of their presentation from the commission's website:

https://downtownmemphis.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Brooks-Museum-65-S.-Front_DRB-Application_FINAL.pdf

Edited March 30, 2023 by James Owen

[VSRJ]

Below are a few of the renderings. Overall, I'm not sold on the design. There is so much brown concrete along the river today (Mud Island, parking garages, etc.), I really would have liked something with more glass, although I understand the limitations with it being a museum. I do really like the rooftop.

Maybe it will look better once completed — and it will absolutely be a vast improvement over what's there now — but I guess I was hoping for more from this architect.

 

[jjbradleyBrooklyn]

On 3/30/2023 at 10:02 AM, VSRJ said:

Below are a few of the renderings. Overall, I'm not sold on the design. There is so much brown concrete along the river today (Mud Island, parking garages, etc.), I really would have liked something with more glass, although I understand the limitations with it being a museum. I do really like the rooftop.

Maybe it will look better once completed — and it will absolutely be a vast improvement over what's there now — but I guess I was hoping for more from this architect.

 

I like the design, except for the side facing the Mississippi River. 

Too much concrete, too "heavy" and "blocky" looking. It looks like a pedestal parking garage for a building, or skyscraper. Like it's waiting for something nice to be built on top of it.

Out of every possible design, why on earth, was this selected? Maybe it will grow on me (and others).

[The Guardian of Memphis]

1 hour ago, jjbradleyBrooklyn said:

I like the design, except for the side facing the Mississippi River. 

Too much concrete, too "heavy" and "blocky" looking. It looks like a pedestal parking garage for a building, or skyscraper. Like it's waiting for something nice to be built on top of it.

Out of every possible design, why on earth, was this selected? Maybe it will grow on me (and others).

Maybe that's what Brooks wanted - the possibility to expand and evolve. It also resembles the podium of the 99 Tower Apts. on Front and the eastern side of the convention center. So in a way, it fits in? Maybe it's not an accident? It is unique. Definitely funky too. I don't like the Mississippi side either. Looks like two eyes and a mouth - but this is the evidence of Postmodernism. It has a peaceful (which we definitely need) zen-like feel to it. If it was neo-traditional like the old Brooks, it would fit in, which would be kind of boring and institutional. I didn't like it at first, but it's OK. 

Edited March 31, 2023 by The Guardian of Memphis

[VSRJ]

The riverfront deserves better than ok.

[The Guardian of Memphis]

11 hours ago, VSRJ said:

The riverfront deserves better than ok.

You're right, but what can we do at this point? At least we have Tom Lee, and in time, Cobblestone Landing and Mud Island.

[Memphis4ever]

Im actually liking the design better especially with the rooftop park and closing monroe avenue for a park.  I know the building is square but it will be a beautiful texture of wood and brick with glass.  Also they did have to design within a budget which i still doubt this is within.

[Nothingspectacular]

The brutalist design turns its back on the Mississippi River.  Sadly this looks like a missed opportunity for something  that could be spectacular in a prime location. 

[MDC26]

13 hours ago, Nothingspectacular said:

The brutalist design turns its back on the Mississippi River.  Sadly this looks like a missed opportunity for something  that could be spectacular in a prime location. 

The thing with museums, is you don’t want a lot of windows, because sunlight damages artwork. 

[James Owen]

Construction on the new Brooks Museum of Art is set to get underway today with a groundbreaking ceremony.

In advance of today’s groundbreaking, Brooks raises $135M for Downtown museum

By Christin Yates, Special to the Daily Memphian

https://dailymemphian.com/section/arts-culture/article/36406/memphis-brooks-museum-raises-millions-prior-to-downtown-groundbreaking

Quote

The Memphis Brooks Museum of Art has raised about $135 million for its new Downtown Memphis home, which it will break ground on today, June 1. 

The funding represents about 75% of the museum’s goal for the campaign. In all, the fundraising goal for the new museum is $180 million. 

The public phase of the campaign launched May 5, and since that time, the Brooks has raised $2 million.

The new Brooks Museum will have 50% more gallery space and 600% more art-filled public spaces than its previous Midtown location; it will include a rooftop and garden as well as a plaza that will be open to the public without a ticket during museum hours.

[Zoe] Kahr said that the building design is also very much about recreating the bluff, which was demolished by the previous parking garage on the site. The bottom of the new building will include a loading dock, storage and 150 parking spaces.

 

[The Guardian of Memphis]

1 hour ago, James Owen said:

Construction on the new Brooks Museum of Art is set to get underway today with a groundbreaking ceremony.

In advance of today’s groundbreaking, Brooks raises $135M for Downtown museum

By Christin Yates, Special to the Daily Memphian

https://dailymemphian.com/section/arts-culture/article/36406/memphis-brooks-museum-raises-millions-prior-to-downtown-groundbreaking

 

I wonder if they’ve taken into account FFOR’s complaint about there not being a bluff walk in front of the structure. 

http://www.friendsforourriverfront.org/2023/04/current-brooks-museum-design-is-dead.html?m=1

[Nothingspectacular]

The design is extreme brutalist architecture and not good for such a prime location. The building turns its back on the Mississippi River. Such a missed opportunity to improve downtown and the riverfront. 

[JTM1]

I was reminded the Brooks Museum is going to be a backdrop to the redesign of the cobblestones and that area of the riverfront. 

[DowntownUrbanite]

When they selected the local architect, I had a feeling the design would end up as brutalist as the former parking garage. Unfortunately, it may be even worse. I agree that they should be required to extend the bluff walk as well. 

[MDC26]

8 minutes ago, DowntownUrbanite said:

When they selected the local architect, I had a feeling the design would end up as brutalist as the former parking garage. Unfortunately, it may be even worse. I agree that they should be required to extend the bluff walk as well. 

Does the local architect really much say in the design? I figured the lead architectural firm - the world renowned international firm - would have design control. 

[Nothingspectacular]

There are news reports today in the Daily Memphian that a legal challenge has been launched against Brooks Museum’s right to build on the riverfront site.  The challenge comes from the group Friends for our Riverfront, dedicated to protecting the riverfront for public use.  Regardless of how this turns out, I hope the extreme brutalist architecture planned for the building gets revised.   Yet another stalled downtown project. 

[MDC26]

21 minutes ago, Nothingspectacular said:

There are news reports today in the Daily Memphian that a legal challenge has been launched against Brooks Museum’s right to build on the riverfront site.  The challenge comes from the group Friends for our Riverfront, dedicated to protecting the riverfront for public use.  Regardless of how this turns out, I hope the extreme brutalist architecture planned for the building gets revised.   Yet another stalled downtown project. 

I posted about this too in the downtown thread (forgot there was this one specifically for the Brooks).  According to the Facebook page for Friends of our Riverfront, they don't want the Brooks built there at all, and instead want a promenade similar to Fourth Bluff Park.  I'm still ok with the Brooks being built at that site, but like you, aren't crazy about the current design. At Ashburn-Coppock Park, the "Walk" splits into two with the River walk on the West Side of Riverside Dr, and is continuous, and connects to Mud Island's Green Belt Park.  The Bluff Walk, on the East Side of Riverside Dr is not continuous at all.  It goes into the South Bluffs neighborhood (presumably on a regular sidewalk), then travels along the Bluff, and ends at Union at Street level.  It starts back up behind the law school, with street connection - just some stairs to a regular sidewalk behind the Cossitt Library, and connects to Fourth Bluff via Bridge, and ends there.  I would propose The Brooks have a connection at street level of Union, that ramps up to an elevated walkway on the backside of the Brooks, and has a Bridge Across Monroe to connect behind the Cossitt Libary, and improve that sidewalk.

[jjbradleyBrooklyn]

On 7/19/2023 at 9:46 AM, Nothingspectacular said:

There are news reports today in the Daily Memphian that a legal challenge has been launched against Brooks Museum’s right to build on the riverfront site.  The challenge comes from the group Friends for our Riverfront, dedicated to protecting the riverfront for public use.  Regardless of how this turns out, I hope the extreme brutalist architecture planned for the building gets revised.   Yet another stalled downtown project. 

While I do agree that the choice for architecture is head-scratching and not ideal for that riverfront location, it does add another stalled project onto Memphis and their downtown development plate. 

Frustrating to see so many potential incredible developments just sit with no movement. Memphis has some really bad luck with development over the years. 

Hoping that will change in the next few years, and we see shovels in the ground on this and many other developments in and around downtown.

 

[MDC26]

9 hours ago, jjbradleyBrooklyn said:

While I do agree that the choice for architecture is head-scratching and not ideal for that riverfront location, it does add another stalled project onto Memphis and their downtown development plate. 

Frustrating to see so many potential incredible developments just sit with no movement. Memphis has some really bad luck with development over the years. 

Hoping that will change in the next few years, and we see shovels in the ground on this and many other developments in and around downtown.

 

They have broken ground, have over $100 million on hand. How is it stalled?  Yes, someone is trying to stop them, but I haven’t seen anything about any success in slowing them down. 

[Memphis4ever]

On 7/23/2023 at 9:21 AM, jjbradleyBrooklyn said:

While I do agree that the choice for architecture is head-scratching and not ideal for that riverfront location, it does add another stalled project onto Memphis and their downtown development plate. 

Frustrating to see so many potential incredible developments just sit with no movement. Memphis has some really bad luck with development over the years. 

Hoping that will change in the next few years, and we see shovels in the ground on this and many other developments in and around downtown.

 

The project is not stalled the friends of our riverfront group wants then to extend the bluff walkway to connect to the museum 's rooftop park.  The project also is not stalled when you here that a permit was filed that means the project was submitted to code enforcement for review, meaning it will take a few months for the project to actually be approved by code and start construction.  Its deceptive but the project is going to be built its just in code review at the moment.

[MDC26]

24 minutes ago, Memphis4ever said:

The project is not stalled the friends of our riverfront group wants then to extend the bluff walkway to connect to the museum 's rooftop park.  The project also is not stalled when you here that a permit was filed that means the project was submitted to code enforcement for review, meaning it will take a few months for the project to actually be approved by code and start construction.  Its deceptive but the project is going to be built its just in code review at the moment.

Looking at their Facebook page, makes me think they'd prefer the museum not be built at all, but at the least are hoping to settle for some kind of connection.  They posted this:

 

Friends for Our Riverfront

Don't let anyone tell you it's too late. There's a long-standing easement that protects our right to "promenade" along the Riverbluff.

We're in talks with the City and headed for formal mediation mid-July to make sure Brooks Museum doesn’t block the route.