The Mandala Lab, the Rubin Museum of Art’s new interactive space for social, emotional, and ethical learning, is set to open to the public on Sept. 24.
The lab is located on the remodeled third floor and was designed by Peterson Rich Office (PRO). The Mandala Lab invites visitors to participate in five experiences. These experiences feature videos accompanied by scents, a site-specific commissioned sculpture that invites collective breathing, and curated percussion instruments dipped in water. Each activity looks to harness the power of difficult emotions and offer pathways to develop resilience, calmness, and connection. The new space also functions as the home for School and Family Programs, which connect younger generations to the teaching expressed in Himalayan art through social, emotional, and ethical learning.
Each activity on the floor is envisioned as a sensorial experience and takes inspiration from Buddhist principles that focus on self-awareness and the awareness of others. Visitors can engage with a scent and memory library, participate in a synchronized breathing activity, and take part in a gong orchestra with eight gongs suspended over water.
As visitors move through the lab they will examine the feelings of pride, attachment, envy, anger, and ignorance. Visitors will then be invited to experiment and attempt to transform these emotional states into a complementary wisdom. It is in this way that the Mandala Lab aims to offer tools and new perspectives for coping with the day-to-day challenges and emotional burdens brought about by personal and societal complexities.
Highlights of the design include:
- a 2,700-sf multipurpose open floor plan bounded by light that converts for education, exhibition, and event needs
- fine metal mesh partitions that surround the spiral staircase and divide the space into four quadrants
- an alcove with rounded walls and acoustic panels where content can be deployed with a wide, drop-down projection screen
- flexible space for lights-on learning with tables and chairs.
The new Mandala Lab is set to open with a free admission weekend spanning Sept. 24-26.
Related Stories
Art Galleries | Apr 21, 2017
The Odunpazari Modern Art Museum pays homage to Ottoman Empire era architecture
The wooden façade is a link to the history of the area as a wood market.
Art Galleries | Apr 14, 2017
Activating exteriors as gallery space
Owners would like to get more value from their exterior spaces. One architecture firm details how it made that happen for the new Whitney Museum.
Museums | Jan 19, 2017
Turning museums inside out: White paper addresses the value of exterior gallery space
Many contemporary museum designs are beginning to utilize the exterior wall space to display art that can help attract new audiences.
Museums | Dec 15, 2016
The design of the Shanghai Planetarium draws inspiration from astronomical principles
Housed within the 400,000-sf building will be the world’s largest planetarium theater.
Museums | Dec 15, 2016
The Grand Louvre - Phase I honored with AIA Twenty-five Year Award
The award recognizes an architectural design that has stood the test of time for 25 years.
Sponsored | Museums | Dec 1, 2016
Monumental museum features Fluropon to highlight heritage and high-esteem
The building is an important landmark for the nation, and is built on the last available spot on the National Mall in Washington D.C.
Museums | Nov 18, 2016
Plans for the expansion and renovation of the Asian Art Museum in Seattle unveiled
LMN Architects is the architect and interior designer for the Bebb and Gould-designed museum.
Museums | Nov 17, 2016
The Guggenheim Helsinki has one final chance to become a reality
The museum’s fate will be decided with a final vote on a new proposal.
Museums | Nov 8, 2016
Museum of the Bible to use technology to bring the Bible to life
The museum will be two blocks from the National Mall and three blocks from the Capitol.
Museums | Oct 11, 2016
Santiago Calatrava-designed Museum of Tomorrow awarded 'Best New Museum of the Year – Central/South America' by Leading Culture Destinations
The museum opened in 2015 in Rio de Janeiro’s Porto Maravilha
