Museums and Libraries: The Latest Architecture and News

A few months ago, we first introduced Farshid Moussavi’s design for the new Museum of Contemporary Art in Cleveland. This past week, the museum’s board voted to approve the project – a decision that will allow Moussavi and the London office of Foreign Office Architect to jumpstart their first US structure. The new museum, a strong geometric volume dramatically sloping upward, will provide a much needed permanent home for Cleveland’s contemporary art. Moussavi also revealed more details of her design at Hunter College recently, which has developed to include a plaza designed by Field Operations, a cobalt blue inner skin beneath the black stainless steel structure and a ceremonial entry stair.

More about the updated design after the break.

Italian architects Michel Carlana, Luca Mezzalira and Curzio Pentimalli shared with us their project for the new library in the town of Bressanone, located in the Italian region of Trentino-Alto. See more images and architect’s description after the break.

Vedran Pedišić, (SANGRAD architects), Emil Špirić, Erick Velasco Farrera and Juan Jose Nunez Andrade (AVP_arhitekti) have submitted their competition proposal for the University of Zadar Library in Zagreb, Croatia. The project received was awarded with an honorable mention. Images of the proposal and the architect’s description after the break.

Creating an anchor to the urban development of Edmonton, Canada, the collaboration of architects Group2 Architecture Engineering Ltd. and Shore Tilbe Perkins + Will created a harmonious synthesis with the site, its natural landscape and the needs of the community with their Meadows Community Recreation Centre & Edmonton Public Library. Their project is to begin construction in January of 2011. More images and architect’s description after the break.

The 32,000 sqf Los Angeles’ Holocaust Museum, designed by Belzberg Architects, has just opened. Sitting across from the Holocaust Memorial, the museum is the new face of the LAMH, the United States’ oldest holocaust museum which dates back to 1962. To the unknowing passerby, one may not even notice the museum as Belzberg has decided to bury the museum underground – a move that not only preserves the parkland above but also creates a dynamic circulation route bringing people beneath the earth to remember those who experienced the Holocaust.

More images and more about the museum after the break.

French architects archi5 and Omar Kobbité Architectes (OKA), have won a competition to design the National Museum of Archaeology and Earth Sciences in Rabat, Morocco. More images and architect’s description after the break.

Last month we shared with you the six designs from the shortlisted group for the future Victoria & Albert Museum in Scotland:

Delugan Meissl Associated Architects / Kengo Kuma & Associates / REX / Snøhetta / Steven Holl Architects / Sutherland Hussey Architects

The six designs are now on exhibition at the library of Abertay University on Bell Street in Dundee until November 4th.

We now have more photographs and a short description of each proposal plus a video after the break.

Tel Aviv based Chyutin Architects have won a competition for the new Museum of Tolerance in Jerusalem. The project will replace a previous scheme done by Frank Gehry. More images and architect’s description after the break.

Architect: Thomas Phifer Location: Raleigh, North Carolina, USA Partner in Charge: Thomas Phifer AIA Project Partner: Greg Reaves AIA LEED AP Project Architect: Gabriel Smith AIA LEED AP Project Team: Adam Ruffin, Katie Bennett, Jonathan Benner, Eric Richey, Daniel Taft, Kerim Demirkan, Len Lopate, ChristophTimm, Joseph Sevene Local Architects: Pierce Brinkley Cease + Lee, Raleigh, NC Structural Engineer: Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP, Chicago, IL Mechanical Engineer: AltieriSeborWieber LLC, Norwalk, CT Landscape Architect: Lappas + Havener, PA, Durham, N.C. Lighting Design: Fisher Marantz Stone, New York, NY General Contractor: Barnhill, Raleigh NC Project Area: 136,000 sf Project Year: 2010 Photographs: Scott Frances

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