New Grand Rapids Art Museum

[dtown]

i want to see this building for myself when its finished. maybe next summer ill take a trip to GR if i can.

[numstead]

It sounds like you're judging art.

If you said "It sounds like you're critiquing art", then I would say "absolutely". Isn't that what everyone does with art? Even the artist?

Maybe the beauty is the fact that the things don't line up.

Only in the case Frank Gehry or some of the other avante garde deconstructivists/expressionists/whatever-ists. But in this case... absolutely not. The beauty is in the continuity and consistency in the details of the parts coming together form the whole.

I also think the horizontal mullion looks silly.

[mpchicago]

Attached is an April 2006 release about the new building, some of which I had heard before, some of which I had not. I know the museum was to be LEED Certified, but did not realize it is the first art museum in the world to receive the rating.

[GRDadof3]

Nice research mp!

This explains a lot about the exhibit space I've been wondering about:

The 125,000 square-foot concrete and glass building will be organized around a 5,000 square-foot central pavilion of glass and light-colored concrete. Representing a 300% increase, the new building will provide 18,000 total square feet of gallery space for the museum

[mpchicago]

Here is a fact sheet from the same website I got the press release from. I little more on the break out of floor space, etc...

The second floor of the gallery wing will feature temporary exhibitions and revolving works on paper. In addition, there will be a gallery dedicated to design and modern craft on the main floor adjacent to a gallery devoted to regional art.

Public Amenities:

The building will include a range of spaces to encourage educational and social interaction. Some features include:

Lobby level:

Multi-use, flexible seating auditorium

Education center, with children

[tamias6]

Very good link, mpchicago. This provides a nice rundown of GRAM's new home. Going from 40,000 sq. ft. to 125,000 sq. ft. is a huge size increase.

[NorthEnder]

Very big.

I like the look of Ottawa from this vantage point.

[Sunlover38]

This is going to be awesome when complete! I really hope folks come out and support it.

BTW there is an excellent exhibit on the history of the Eames Lounge Chair at the current art museum.

[torgo]

I still don't like the concrete. The rest looks pretty sharp. Still waiting till completion to decide if I like it or not...

[GRDadof3]

This is going to be awesome when complete! I really hope folks come out and support it.

BTW there is an excellent exhibit on the history of the Eames Lounge Chair at the current art museum.

We will certainly go more. I'm not a big fan of the set up in the current building. I think it's been 4 or 5 years since we've been there. Plus the new location is better for "dinner and a show".

[numstead]

Heads up.

There's a huge stair-shaped piece-o-steel on a trailer parked on Ottawa.

[GRDadof3]

Rats! I must have just missed it.

[dtown]

any pics golscorer?

or anyone?

[jbr12]

Its slated to be installed tomorrow... I'm sure someone's gotta be able to get down there to get a pic. Should be interesting

[mpchicago]

They are lifting somthing big right now.....

[sparky05]

drove by a big, staircase looking thing being installed at 5:35...

Sorry, no camera.

[dtown]

dang it, i wanted to see that!

[dbrok]

View of the construction from the roof of the Select Bank Building:

[sparky05]

Here's your stairs:

A look at the roof:

From the southwest:

[Veloise]

drove by a big, staircase looking thing being installed at 5:35...

Sorry, no camera.

You can always pull a screen shot off the Construction Cam.

[mpchicago]

In comparing the rendering to the actual construction taking place it looks like this area along Ottawa is shaping up differently. It would be nice if that glass was extended up the full three floors instead of just the first floor like the rendering shows.

[GRDadof3]

In comparing the rendering to the actual construction taking place it looks like this area along Ottawa is shaping up differently. It would be nice if that glass was extended up the full three floors instead of just the first floor like the rendering shows.

It's looks very similar to me mp. The staircase that everyone is talking about apparently goes from the 2nd floor to the 3rd. You can see the underside of it in the upper right of that image. I wonder if another steel beam will be set?

Yes, it would be nice if they extended the glass upward.

[mpchicago]

It's looks very similar to me mp. The staircase that everyone is talking about apparently goes from the 2nd floor to the 3rd. You can see the underside of it in the upper right of that image. I wonder if another steel beam will be set?

Yes, it would be nice if they extended the glass upward.

Your're right. The staircase looked like another balcony, but I see it is in fact the stair.

[numstead]

In comparing the rendering to the actual construction taking place it looks like this area along Ottawa is shaping up differently. It would be nice if that glass was extended up the full three floors instead of just the first floor like the rendering shows.

I think the glass does extend all the way up. There just happen to be horizontal louvers above that first level of glass. Look carefully and you'll see them.

[jbr12]

Ding ding ding! We have a winner

It is indeed a full glass wall with an interior louver/shade system. That space may end up being a glass oven in the summer. Should be interesting to see how well that shading is going to work