With ever-expanding traveling exhibitions attracting over 35,000 yearly visitors from around the globe, the Aspen Art Museum (AAM) has outgrown their cozy 9,000 square foot facility that has been their home since the museum was established in 1979. Japanese architect Shigeru Ban has been commissioned to design the new museum, being the first museum he has constructed in the U.S.
Continue reading for more project information.
Shigeru Ban strives for a “unified relationship between the structure and its surroundings.” Transparency and natural light are the two main goals the guide the museums design. This past summer, the AAM purchased the land for the new 30,000 square foot building near the historic mountain town’s center. The program will include a 12,500 square foot exhibition space, an exterior roof deck sculpture garden, an education classroom, bookstore, museum shop, café, office space and art storage.
Five key design elements are highlighted within the wood and glass structure. The first being a grand staircase that gives visitors direct access to the roof deck sculpture garden, located on the third level. The grand staircase eases the transition from the outdoors to the formal gallery, while providing unconventional exhibition space throughout.
The second key design element highlighted is the “moving room”, also known as the glass reception elevator. The 8 by 12 foot, transparent elevator animates the northeast corner of the building on the corner of South Spring Street and Hyman Avenue.
A woven exterior wooden screen is the third element that seems to attract the most attention. As critics are skeptical that the screen will be compatible with the harsh weather conditions of Aspen, Colorado, the architect emphasizes the screens ability to provide a passerby with views of the interior structure and gallery spaces.
The fourth element emulates the exterior screen and covers 50 percent of the top floor. This being a woven roof structure that provides shaded views of the Aspens and sculpture garden.
“Walkable” skylights make up the fifth and final element highlighted by the AAM, flooding the second floor main gallery with natural light.
The AAM is currently soliciting donations as the project is supported completely through private funding. So far, $35,000,000 of the $50,000,000 campaign goal has been collected.
Reference: Aspen Art Museum, The New York Times
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- Glass Exterior Entrance © Shigeru Ban Architects
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- Reception Area © Shigeru Ban Architects
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- Glass Elevator – views of Aspen and of the interior © Shigeru Ban Architects
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- Interior/Exterior Stairway – access to roof deck sculpture garden © Shigeru Ban Architects
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- “Versatile” Stairway – configured to display art © Shigeru Ban Architects
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- Roof Deck – shaded and full-sun viewing available © Shigeru Ban Architects
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- View of Aspen Mountain from Roof Deck Sculpture Garden © Shigeru Ban Architects
Laughable. And it’s not just Globalization Gone Wild; Herbert Bayer brought an enduring International sensibility to Aspen decades ago that has proven to be both practical and visually appropriate for its place. If the basket survives the design process, it will not survive the environment. Maybe Zumtor should be consulted…
i need the plan section and elevations of this museum…anybody have it?
Dear Editor:
Since the Aspen Art Museum director has seen fit to open an attack against Lee Mulcahy, I will take this opportunity to confess to being the person who hung the two “For Sale” signs on the tractor trailers that were parked on the vacant lot (construction site) where the Wienerstube used to stand.
The signs were two 81⁄2- by 11-inch sheets of copy paper Scotch-taped with two strips of tape on each computer-printed sheet. I thought that this would be an amusing way to call attention to this extremely disliked project that has been forced upon our cityscape.
I do not know Mr. Mulcahy, and I do not know what he did to incur the wrath of the Art Museum director, but please do not condemn him for my actions.
Having cleared the record regarding whatever minor incidents occurred, I am offended by Madam Director’s branding these actions as “cowardly.” She, who engineered the slimy, underhanded, backroom blackmailing (or worse?) of City Council, in order to hide her project from the scrutiny of the public approval process, is the true coward.
I know that brevity is always more effective than wordiness, but I cannot avoid reminding the people of Aspen that your mayor and his City Council ignored more than 1,500 signed pleas to not approve the project without review.
The Art Museum summer program for their lot was very pleasant. The paper house offered shade, the pingpong amenity was fun, and the sod lawn was a pleasant, cool, green space that will be totally missing from the finished project. I am surprised that no one thought to camp out on the site.
I am sorry about the rant, but people don’t usually refer to me as a coward.
Richie Cohen
Aspen
meuseum and khoone derekhti