New Grand Rapids Art Museum

[numstead]

I am not an architect but I believe that the concrete with the holes are finished. The unfinished concrete that golscorer pointed out would get some sort of cover.

yep

Tadao Ando @ Vitra

[MAU]

Not at all impressed with the peg board look.

[worstj]

Not at all impressed with the peg board look.

Yeah, no kidding! Why is it that some architects design things that look terrible? Is the "peg board" look in these days? Or does it serve some special function?

[Rizzo]

For me the holes add scale and predictability to the design.

[tamias6]

I have seen the "bare concrete" look on other buildings that was done very well. So I'm not going to jump the gun here and throw in my "Yea" or Nay" on the architectual merits of the new GRAM until its done and open for business. This way I can make my judgment on the whole package in its completed form and not half done. Right now the place looks butt ugly. Howver its still a construction site. Plus, more than likely, praises will be sung of this place and how good it looks when its done. Personaly I like the architectual renderings of this building. Its forward, eye catching, and very unique. If GRAM is to get some national regonition that it seems to desire, then its new building is going to have to be something different that anything we've seen in GR. Going by the renderings this new museum building will definately fill the bill.

An Artist's note.

Artwork displays optimally in a space with neutral colors. (I.e. colors that neither look warm or cool.) Warm colors like reds and yellows will make the observer's eye's precieve the colors of the artwork as warmer than the artist intended while cool colors like blues will do the opposite and make the artwork seem cooler. Viewing artwork in a room with nuetral colors allows the observer to precieve the piece's colors accurately and how the artist intended. I won't go into any scientific mumo jumbo on the principals behind this. But Basically ambient light takes on colors of what ever it reflects off of and consequently alters the precieved colors of anything in the space. The bare concrete being used will more than likely be used as architectual accents within the interior spaces of the new GRAM. It will make a good chioce colorwise since conrete is a very nuetral color and thus will not alter the precieved colors of the museaum's art collection.

[Veloise]

For me the holes add scale and predictability to the design.

Makes it easy to hang banners, temporary graphics, cellular antennas...

[numstead]

Yeah, no kidding! Why is it that some architects design things that look terrible? Is the "peg board" look in these days? Or does it serve some special function?

It's an expression of the process of production.

The holes are where rebar was place through the wall to tie the two pieces of formwork together inorder to keep the forms from bulging out when the concrete is poured. The result is a flat, smooth, clean surface.

As Rizzo said, "the holes add scale and predictability to the design." I would add words like pattern, rhythm, and texture.

[GRDadof3]

I'm really starting to like the way it's shaping up on the Monroe Center side. It appears as though the glass area (cafe?) closest to Ottawa is quite tall, and the concrete will be up above and not straight in the line of sight for pedestrians travelling up and down that side of the street. Is the area that is "wide open" going to stay that way, so that you will be able to see into the center courtyard and fountain area?

Right here:

[torgo]

I think its a bit premature to say the building sucks before its finished. I dont like the look of the concete either, but I am going to wait until I see the completey finished product.

[snoogit]

It looks to me like its going to have some structural diversity unlike the concrete slabs of GRCC.

I think GRAM will come out just fine, all the construction though is getting a bit insane. But I bet you anything the sides of the bare areas will be covered with banners for prime exhibits most of the time.

[jbr12]

golscorer4- I was digging through my pictures for the same shot before I switched pages and realized you beat me to it

Another reason for leaving the concrete exposed like that is to show off skill. It isn't exactly easy to get big, smooth, straight panels to create an entire building like that. After working in the Caribbean (skilled labor = zero) and while everything was done with concrete there, they put a REDICULOUS amount of plaster on the walls to ensure that it looks good. Concrete takes skill on a large scale

[Prankster]

It's an expression of the process of production.

The holes are where rebar was place through the wall to tie the two pieces of formwork together inorder to keep the forms from bulging out when the concrete is poured. The result is a flat, smooth, clean surface.

As Rizzo said, "the holes add scale and predictability to the design." I would add words like pattern, rhythm, and texture.

I guess when I think of this type of facade, I think of the bunkers that are GRCC. In your opinion, how will this be different than what we have at GRCC? I'm hoping for the best, but I do have my doubts.

[sparky05]

[sparky05]

[numstead]

I guess when I think of this type of facade, I think of the bunkers that are GRCC. In your opinion, how will this be different than what we have at GRCC? I'm hoping for the best, but I do have my doubts.

I see two major differences between GRAM and the Applied Tech Center at GRCC.

1. The ATC doesn't treat the street very well, it does have city-block-long expanses of concrete at grade. I don't know anything about the planning that went into it, but I imagine that the grade change along those two streets posed some problems to the way they programmed the building.

GRAM is going to be significantly different in that regard (see my post a couple weeks ago where I talked about that)

2. The appearance of the concrete will look different. I haven't walked past the ATC in a couple years, but from my recollection the concrete had a lot of aggregate visible on the outside surface giving it a rougher, or in architectural terms "rusticated", appearance while maintaining a smooth finish. Apparently thats a product of the concrete "recipe" and some sort of agitation process that they do to the concrete once its in the forms.

GRAMs concrete as you can all see is much more monolithic in appearance, that is it appears to be a homogenous material rather than being composed of smaller rocks of varying size and color.

Basically we're talking about two buildings that used similar construction techniques to achieve different styles and urban experiences.

[GRDadof3]

I see two major differences between GRAM and the Applied Tech Center at GRCC.

1. The ATC doesn't treat the street very well, it does have city-block-long expanses of concrete at grade. I don't know anything about the planning that went into it, but I imagine that the grade change along those two streets posed some problems to the way they programmed the building.

GRAM is going to be significantly different in that regard (see my post a couple weeks ago where I talked about that)

2. The appearance of the concrete will look different. I haven't walked past the ATC in a couple years, but from my recollection the concrete had a lot of aggregate visible on the outside surface giving it a rougher, or in architectural terms "rusticated", appearance while maintaining a smooth finish. Apparently thats a product of the concrete "recipe" and some sort of agitation process that they do to the concrete once its in the forms.

GRAMs concrete as you can all see is much more monolithic in appearance, that is it appears to be a homogenous material rather than being composed of smaller rocks of varying size and color.

Basically we're talking about two buildings that used similar construction techniques to achieve different styles and urban experiences.

You are a wealth of knowledge golscorer4! How would you compare the look of the GRAM to the concrete sections of the VAI? It appears that on the VAI they filled in the holes?

[Prankster]

I see two major differences between GRAM and the Applied Tech Center at GRCC.

1. The ATC doesn't treat the street very well, it does have city-block-long expanses of concrete at grade. I don't know anything about the planning that went into it, but I imagine that the grade change along those two streets posed some problems to the way they programmed the building.

GRAM is going to be significantly different in that regard (see my post a couple weeks ago where I talked about that)

2. The appearance of the concrete will look different. I haven't walked past the ATC in a couple years, but from my recollection the concrete had a lot of aggregate visible on the outside surface giving it a rougher, or in architectural terms "rusticated", appearance while maintaining a smooth finish. Apparently thats a product of the concrete "recipe" and some sort of agitation process that they do to the concrete once its in the forms.

GRAMs concrete as you can all see is much more monolithic in appearance, that is it appears to be a homogenous material rather than being composed of smaller rocks of varying size and color.

Basically we're talking about two buildings that used similar construction techniques to achieve different styles and urban experiences.

Thanks for the explanation. With that in mind, I will hold off on judging it until I can see the completed project. Hopefully the end result will have the desired effect.

[joeDowntown]

I drove past the art museum today and have a question about the concrete. It looks like the exposed area (at the intersection of Monroe Ctr. and Ottawa) is a different color from the first to second level (I'm sure due to the different times it was poured). Do they do anything to finish the concrete? Clean it and seal it? Will it have one consistent color or will they keep the unfinished look?

Joe

[numstead]

thanks for the compliment grdad

I'm not ignoring your question, because I do have a good response, just haven't had time to sit down and type it out

[civitas]

You are a wealth of knowledge golscorer4! How would you compare the look of the GRAM to the concrete sections of the VAI? It appears that on the VAI they filled in the holes?

I think I was told that the Art Museum holes will be plugged, but with a slight reveal (1/4"?).

[sparky05]

Looks like the spandrel wall on the south side of the building is largely complete...

The whole site, from the Grand Plaza Ramp:

[dbrok]

Close-ups of the wall: What material is this section made out of?

[numstead]

Close-ups of the wall: What material is this section made out of?

They are glass panels in steel frames.

I think I was told that the Art Museum holes will be plugged, but with a slight reveal (1/4"?).

That sounds about right. They have to be plugged for obvious waterproofing considerations. If you look at the pock marks at the ATC or VAI, you'll see the same thing.

[dbrok]

They are glass panels in steel frames.

They really look great up close. Nice contrast with the concrete slabs. I'm optimistic that this will turn out to be an attractive building.

[numstead]

They really look great up close. Nice contrast with the concrete slabs. I'm optimistic that this will turn out to be an attractive building.

If you look at it from the near the Monroe-Louis corner you can see the lights in the parking structure reflecting off of it. An array of little yellow dots. It gives the building another dimension that red brick certainly couldn't.