New Grand Rapids Art Museum

[joeDowntown]

I have to say I was one of the most negative forumers in the early days as far as the museum goes. I changed my mind. It looks fantastic. I hope it continues to progress in the same way that has impressed me since early spring. Bring on the light boxes (or whatever we're supposed to call them)!

Joe

[GRDadof3]

A couple from today:

this curved section in the middle...

..looks like the balcony of the Ottawa Street atrium.

Louis & Ottawa corner

Monroe Center & Ottawa corner

And I'm guessing all this scaffolding will support the roof forms

[6th Gen local]

All of the concrete reminds me of The Chazen Museum of Art on the University of Wisconsin campus in Madison. These pictures don't do it any justice, but it is a beautiful building, inside and out. That whole area of campus is of similar concrete design.

Chazen Museum of Art

[numstead]

Anybody see the small picture of the Art Museum in the Press on Sunday? It was in the article about the concrete construction projects going on downtown. Anyway, I'm in the foreground of the picture. Light shirt, dark pants, walking back to the office from Four Friends with a couple of my colleagues.

[civitas]

A couple from today:

this curved section in the middle...

I understand that a big one-piece stair will be dropped into this space by a huge crane.

[sparky05]

Today, while I was braving the rain from the comfort of the Ellis Ramp:

[sparky05]

[mpchicago]

Does anyone know if they will continue the snow melt from Monroe Center around the perimeter of this building? Wasn't sure since I understand their budget was already pretty tight.

[tamias6]

Does anyone know if they will continue the snow melt from Monroe Center around the perimeter of this building? Wasn't sure since I understand their budget was already pretty tight.

I though the city had installed a snow melting system in Monroe Center from Rosa Park Circle to Division Ave. when Monroe Center was "demalled" many years ago.

[torgo]

Louis Side:

Ottawa Side:

[numstead]

I walked past the museum a few minutes ago and noticed a stack of window units along Monroe Mall, queing to be hung.

[jbr12]

I understand that a big one-piece stair will be dropped into this space by a huge crane.

I have heard rumors in the office that said large stair should be arriving soon to be placed by said huge crane...

The construction admin guy sits right next to me... its definitly interesting background noise listening to him work like crazy on over seeing this project

[dtown]

i really like the shiny facade of this building!

[DwntwnGeo]

I have heard rumors in the office that said large stair should be arriving soon to be placed by said huge crane...

The construction admin guy sits right next to me... its definitly interesting background noise listening to him work like crazy on over seeing this project

When I drove by the site today, there was another large crane already position next to where the stair will go. I didn't see any large staircase yet though....

I walked past the museum a few minutes ago and noticed a stack of window units along Monroe Mall, queing to be hung.

In driving by this afternoon for work, I saw some workers putting up the second panes of glass. They are starting on the western side and working eastward. It looks nice in my opinion. Will there be glass on the southern side of this "room". If so it will be great to look into the center area of the GRAM from Monroe Center.

[wolverine]

I like the facade cladding too! Is that going to cover the concrete portions, or will those remain exposed? I had the impression that there would be exposed concrete on some of the surfaces.

[tamias6]

Think the sections of concrete with the neatly arranged holes will be exposed. Correct me if I'm wrong.

[numstead]

Think the sections of concrete with the neatly arranged holes will be exposed. Correct me if I'm wrong.

You're not wrong, so I won't correct you.

[dtown]

ill have to wait until its completed to make my decision on whether i like it or not.

[snoogit]

This is such a hard building to judge, some buildings you know right away how they will look before they are done, this one, it seems like no one will know how it looks until its finished.

[jbr12]

And keep in mind that this is a museum, so its important to withhold any judgements until you can experience the experience and flow of the building. One example is the Zentrum Paul Klee Museum by Renzo Piano in Switzerland. Alot of people think it looks cool, but it doesn't, IMO, function very well as an art museum.

[GRDadof3]

Beautious!

I too hope that the view into the inner courtyard will stay visible. It adds a lot of interesting depth to the place. No stairway going in today, but that crane was lifting some long straight concrete sections.

[numstead]

Its a shame that the concrete joints aren't aligned with or centerred on the window mullions(look along the sill). If the building is to be considerred as a work of art in itself, especially considerring the materiality of this building, then its picky little details like that which can allude to how well the project as a whole was thought out by the architect.

[mpchicago]

Thanks for the pics Dad. Can anyone confirm that this is the gift shop area? If so, I would assume there is a dedicated entrance off of Monroe Center, maybe at the corner of Ottawa and Monroe Center?

Your're right goalscorer, the devil is in the details, but it is exciting to see some of the details come togeather.

[NorthEnder]

Its a shame that the concrete joints aren't aligned with or centerred on the window mullions(look along the sill). If the building is to be considerred as a work of art in itself, especially considerring the materiality of this building, then its picky little details like that which can allude to how well the project as a whole was thought out by the architect.

It sounds like you're judging art. Maybe the beauty is the fact that the things don't line up.

[tamias6]

Its a shame that the concrete joints aren't aligned with or centerred on the window mullions(look along the sill). If the building is to be considerred as a work of art in itself, especially considerring the materiality of this building, then its picky little details like that which can allude to how well the project as a whole was thought out by the architect.

I past by the new GRAM this afternoon and saw this new glass. I don't think the concrete joints not aligning is not really hurting anything. If anything my attention was drawn to the glass more so than the concrete. Besides maybe engineering issues dictated where the concrete joints fell.