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
| Sep 28, 2011
Look who's coming to BD+C's Under-40 Leadership Summit
AEC industry "under-40 superstars" from top design and construction firms have signed up for BD+C's "Under-40 Leadership Summit."
| Sep 28, 2011
GBCI announces LEED fellow class of 2011
LEED Fellows represent green building industry's most accomplished professionals.
| Sep 28, 2011
Bradley sponsors design studio on intelligent buildings for UWM SARUP
The studio is taught by Gregory D. Thomson, assistant professor and co-director of the Institute for Ecological Design at UWM.
| Sep 23, 2011
Fire and hurricane rated glazed wall assemblies installed at multi-family residence in Florida
Fire and hurricane assemblies meet design and code requirements.
| Sep 23, 2011
ABI turns positive after four monthly declines
On the heels of a period of weakness in design activity, the Architecture Billings Index (ABI) took a sudden upturn in August.
| Sep 23, 2011
Under 40 Leadership Summit
Building Design+Construction’s Under 40 Leadership Summit takes place October 26-28, 2011 Hotel at the Monteleone in New Orleans. Discounted hotel rate deadline: October 2, 2011.