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New Grand Rapids Art Museum


GRDadof3

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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?

As promised, I want to get back to Dad's question...

The only difference I see between the concrete at the VAI and aat the GRAM is the color. The VAI has a more typical concrete grey tone (yes I spelled grey with an "e", brick on the taunts) and the GRAM has is more of a "buff" or "sand" color. The color difference in at GRAM is probably an added pigment to the concrete recipe. Why did they do it? I don't know for sure, but to me the concrete looks painted (even though its not) and I can only assume that the achitects got scared of what the people out there, who don't appreciate the material beauty of concrete, would say and decided to give it a warmer tone.

The VAI also has an aged look with some of the weathering and staining that has occurred on its surface over the past few years. This is not only expected but also delightful, much like a copper roof turning a petina green over time. It gives depth and character to the material and reinforces its sense of permanence.

Personally I like the concrete work at VAI better.

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The Business Journal has an article outlining the move in schedule for the new art museum, with some staff moving as soon as December.

Their LINKY is broken, but here's how they laid it out:

Dec. 06 - a 35' Christmas tree will be lit in the Art Musuem lawn near Rosa Parks Circle.

Some museum staff will move into the administrative wing around the same time

Feb 18, 07 - Private party for lead donor Peter Wege

Feb 19, 07 - Education center opens

Teachers will get a hard-hat tour of the remainder of the museum and learn about the LEED Certification process

June 07 - Grand Opening Celebration

Sept 07 - Art gallery space will permanently open

Kendall College will then be taking over the current museum space at the old Federal Building

I think it's fantastic that they're moving the downtown Christmas tree from in front of the arena to the Rosa Parks Circle area.

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Are we to assume then that the entire building will be complete by December, but that some of the main gallery space will not be entirely finished?

Feb 19, 07 - Education center opens

Teachers will get a hard-hat tour of the remainder of the museum and learn about the LEED Certification process

A hard hat tour in Feburary dosen't sound like done to me. :lol: Didn't they break ground on this in May of 04? At least there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

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Feb 19, 07 - Education center opens

Teachers will get a hard-hat tour of the remainder of the museum and learn about the LEED Certification process

A hard hat tour in Feburary dosen't sound like done to me. :lol: Didn't they break ground on this in May of 04? At least there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

hmm good point...

I was thinking that at least you would be able to be shielded from the outdoors in December when you walk in :lol:

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Here's the cafe side at Monroe (plenty of glass to come):

237872798_0208ad4558_b.jpg

This particular angle here intrigues me so much. Every time I walk past it, I just marvel at the mass of concrete above being supported by such slender pillars. The magic of reinforced concrete, I guess. I keep thinking of the Johnson Wax Building when I see that...

cid_johnson_wax_002.jpg

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Has anyone else noticed the billboard on northbound 131 - "A New Twist on Art," with the image of Salvador Dali - for GRAM? It has the 101 Monroe Center address, and I think there was an opening date listed on there that seemed a bit too early for a site still under construction, sometime later this year, if memory serves me correctly.

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As you may or may not know before GRAM hired and then fired M & M as their choice to design the new museum they held a design competition. William McDonough + Partners of Charlottesville, VA was a finalist. Here is their take on the facility. I'm sure there are addtional finalist concepts out there. It would be interesting to see those too.

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As you may or may not know before GRAM hired and then fired M & M as their choice to design the new museum they held a design competition. William McDonough + Partners of Charlottesville, VA was a finalist. Here is their take on the facility. I'm sure there are addtional finalist concepts out there. It would be interesting to see those too.

Wow, interesting find mp. Look at this quote:

Grand Rapids took its name from the breakwaters caused by a cluster of islands at the river

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"the design places the museum on the site of the original rapids. To the southwest, a new park designed by Maya Lin offers rolling green berms; to the northeast is Monroe Center"

...what? how? It sounds like they didn't do much research. According to those directions, the museum would be located right on a sidewalk, and would place monroe center and the circle in a completely different location.

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As you may or may not know before GRAM hired and then fired M & M as their choice to design the new museum they held a design competition. William McDonough + Partners of Charlottesville, VA was a finalist. Here is their take on the facility. I'm sure there are addtional finalist concepts out there. It would be interesting to see those too.

Ewww.

Look at rendering #5.

Just...ewww.

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As you may or may not know before GRAM hired and then fired M & M as their choice to design the new museum they held a design competition. William McDonough + Partners of Charlottesville, VA was a finalist. Here is their take on the facility. I'm sure there are addtional finalist concepts out there. It would be interesting to see those too.

I'm glad this design was not chosen. It looks like a misinterpeted clone of Devos Place only with a green roof. :sick:

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