Alfonso Architects have been awarded the building project for the Museum of the American Arts and Crafts Movement (MAACM) in St. Petersburg, Florida. Hundreds of objects from the early 20th century movement - including furniture, pottery and paintings - have been offered by the museum's patron, art collector Rudy Ciccarello, in collaboration with the Two Red Roses Foundation.
Galleries and exhibit spaces, says lead architect Alberto Alfonso, are inspired by the "detailing and customization of materials and joinery" characteristic of the era. The four-story, 90,000 square-foot museum "is a tremendous gift by Mr. Ciccarello for the city of St. Petersburg and our state," adds Alfonso.
The museum will house and showcase the pre-eminent collection of the American Arts and Crafts Movement, an era which emphasized traditional craftsmanship, the quality of materials, simplicity of form without superfluous or excessive ornamentation.
"The Industrial Revolution had made man less creative, his skills removed from the manufacturing process through the introduction of the machine," explained Ciccarello, "The notion of good design was linked to the notion of a good society in which the worker was not brutalized by factory conditions, but rather could take pride in his craftsmanship and skill. I truly identify with this philosophy and immensely enjoy the beautiful objects created during this period."
The museum is scheduled to open in early 2016.
