The American Folk Art Museum by architects Tod Williams and Billie Tsien opened in 2001 to wide acclaim, thanks, in part, to its distinctive faceted, bronze façade.
But just 12 years after opening the building, the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) plans to demolish the structure to make way for an expansion that will more seamlessly connect with adjacent MoMA buildings on the MoMA campus in Manhattan, according to the New York Times.
In 2011, MoMA purchased the building from the struggling folk art museum, which was millions in debt due to lower-than-expected attendance and investment losses stemming from the recent recession.
Museum officials claim that because the building is set back farther than the other buildings on the property, the floors cannot be aligned. In addition, its solid façade does not meld with the mostly all-glass enclosures on the museum campus.
In an interview with NYT, Tsien said she was "really disappointed" by the announcement and called the move a "loss for architecture," especially because the building is an increasingly rare example of a small yet well-crafted structure.
(http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/11/arts/design/moma-to-raze-ex-american-folk-art-museum-building.html?_r=1&)
Related Stories
Industrial Facilities | Apr 13, 2016
Ford begins 10-year plan to centralize Dearborn, Mich., campus
The company said that it will rebuild 7.5 million sf of work space over a 10-year period, which will shift 30,000 employees from 70 buildings now into two primary locations.
Building Tech | Apr 12, 2016
Should we be worried about a tech slowdown?
Is the U.S. in an innovative funk, or is this just the calm before the storm?
Multifamily Housing | Apr 7, 2016
Multifamily and Specialized Housing projects honored in 2016 AIA Housing Awards
A San Francisco low-income mixed-use complex, a Los Angeles homeless veterans housing facility, and a series of student residential buildings at UMass were among the winners.
Green | Apr 4, 2016
AIA report analyzes 20 years of the best green projects
"Lessons from the Leading Edge" is a study of the 200 Committee on the Environment (COTE) Top Ten Award winning projects since 1997.
Architects | Apr 1, 2016
Adrian Smith earns UIC’s Legacies and Leaders Award
The Chicago architect graduated from the school and created a scholarship for aspiring architects.
Architects | Mar 31, 2016
Zaha Hadid dies at 65
Often credited as being a pioneer for women architects for her work in a male-dominated field, Hadid had designs commissioned around the world from London to Hong Kong to Cincinnati.
Architects | Mar 31, 2016
Auto-shading windows and point-of-decision design are among the research projects to receive AIA funding grants
Firms represented by the projects and initiatives receiving grants include HKS, DO|SU Studio Architecture, and McClain + Yu Architecture and Design.
Hotel Facilities | Mar 30, 2016
The Usonian Inn, a Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired motor lodge, is on the market for $665,000
The Usonian Inn proudly displays many Wright-inspired characteristics, the most prominent of which is the use of cantilevered overhangs.
Designers | Mar 30, 2016
A technical pen for the modern age
Morpholio’s new ScalePen feature dynamically sets line weight depending on the scale or zoom level of the drawing.
Architects | Mar 29, 2016
Why drawing remains relevant in the design process
Hand-drawn concepts allow ideas to emerge and build stronger connections between the design and the audience, as Gensler Principal and Design Director Alex Fernández writes.