flexiblefullpage
billboard
interstitial1
catfish1
Currently Reading

American Folk Art Museum, opened in 2001, to be demolished

American Folk Art Museum, opened in 2001, to be demolished

Just 12 years old, the museum designed by Tod Williams and Billie Tsien will be taken down to make way for MoMA expansion


By BD+C Staff | April 11, 2013

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

Education Facilities | Mar 28, 2016

Steven Holl wins invited competition to design Rubenstein Commons

The new Rubenstein Commons will be a 20,000-sf structure at the center of the campus for the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, N.J.

Wood | Mar 28, 2016

Waugh Thistleton designs one of the tallest timber office buildings in London

The nine-story Development House has vertical open spaces for light and air flow.  

Architects | Mar 20, 2016

Ars Gratia Artis: A North Carolina architect emphasizes the value of art in its designs

Turan Duda says clients are receptive, but the art must still be integral to the building’s overall vision.

Architects | Mar 16, 2016

PGAL acquires Dallas-based Pro Forma Architecture

The merger adds a firm that has specialized in municipal projects.

Events Facilities | Mar 15, 2016

Bjarke Ingels, Foster+Partners, and Grimshaw all winners in Expo 2020 pavilion design competition

BIG designed the Opportunity Pavilion, Foster+Partners submitted the winning Mobility Pavilion, and Grimshaw created the Sustainability Pavilion.

Sports and Recreational Facilities | Mar 14, 2016

Washington Redskins tease new stadium model designed by Bjarke Ingels

The location isn't yet determined, but the new stadium will have a moat for kayaking.

Architects | Mar 11, 2016

German artist recreates Brutalist buildings with LEGO blocks

Arndt Schlaudraff brings the beauty out of the rugged, linear style of buildings most popular a half century ago.

Architects | Mar 11, 2016

Architecture for Humanity rebrands itself as Open Architecture Collaborative

With a new name, logo, and mission, the Open Architecture Collaborative is seeking a fresh start. 

Architects | Mar 11, 2016

AIA survey finds many women and minority architects still feeling underrepresented and unfulfilled

Dissatisfaction with “work-life balance” and compensation are cited as reasons why companies’ diversity strategies may be faltering.

University Buildings | Mar 11, 2016

How architects can help community colleges promote community on campus

Even in the face of funding challenges and historic precedent, there are emerging examples of how partnership between two-year academic institutions and designers can further elevate community on campus. CannonDesign's Carisima Koenig has a few key examples.

boombox1
boombox2
native1

More In Category

Great Solutions

41 Great Solutions for architects, engineers, and contractors

AI ChatBots, ambient computing, floating MRIs, low-carbon cement, sunshine on demand, next-generation top-down construction. These and 35 other innovations make up our 2024 Great Solutions Report, which highlights fresh ideas and innovations from leading architecture, engineering, and construction firms.




halfpage1

Most Popular Content

  1. 2021 Giants 400 Report
  2. Top 150 Architecture Firms for 2019
  3. 13 projects that represent the future of affordable housing
  4. Sagrada Familia completion date pushed back due to coronavirus
  5. Top 160 Architecture Firms 2021