1. ArchDaily
  2. Museums and Libraries

Museums and Libraries: The Latest Architecture and News

Nogunri Peace Museum / Metaa Architects & Associate

Nogunri Peace Museum / Metaa Architects & Associate - Exhibition Center, Facade, Beam, Arch, HandrailNogunri Peace Museum / Metaa Architects & Associate - Exhibition Center, FacadeNogunri Peace Museum / Metaa Architects & Associate - Exhibition Center, Facade, Stairs, HandrailNogunri Peace Museum / Metaa Architects & Associate - Exhibition Center, ChairNogunri Peace Museum / Metaa Architects & Associate - More Images+ 25

Songpa Micro Housing / SsD

Songpa Micro Housing / SsD - Housing, Facade, LightingSongpa Micro Housing / SsD - Housing, Door, CountertopSongpa Micro Housing / SsD - Housing, Door, Facade, HandrailSongpa Micro Housing / SsD - Housing, Facade, HandrailSongpa Micro Housing / SsD - More Images+ 26

AD Classics: Austrian Cultural Forum / Raimund Abraham

This article was originally published on May 25, 2015. To read the stories behind other celebrated architecture projects, visit our AD Classics section.

Before the impossibly “super-thin” tower became ubiquitous on the Midtown Manhattan skyline, Raimund Abraham’s Austrian Cultural Forum challenged the limits of what could be built on the slenderest of urban lots. Working with a footprint no bigger than a townhouse (indeed, one occupied the site before the present tower), Abraham erected a daring twenty-four story high-rise only twenty-five feet across. Instantly recognizable by its profile, a symmetrical, blade-like curtain wall cascading violently toward the sidewalk, ACFNY was heralded by Kenneth Frampton as “the most significant modern piece of architecture to be realized in Manhattan since the Seagram Building and the Guggenheim Museum of 1959.” [1]

AD Classics: Austrian Cultural Forum / Raimund Abraham - Heritage, Facade, CityscapeAD Classics: Austrian Cultural Forum / Raimund Abraham - Heritage, Facade, CityscapeAD Classics: Austrian Cultural Forum / Raimund Abraham - Heritage, Chair, TableAD Classics: Austrian Cultural Forum / Raimund Abraham - HeritageAD Classics: Austrian Cultural Forum / Raimund Abraham - More Images+ 2

AD Classics: Vitra Design Museum / Gehry Partners

This article was originally published on April 27, 2017. To read the stories behind other celebrated architecture projects, visit our AD Classics section.

Even at the Vitra Campus in Weil-am-Rhein—a collection of furniture factories, offices, showrooms, and galleries, many of which are the products of iconic architects—the Vitra Design Museum stands out as exceptional. With its sculptural form composed of interconnected curving volumes, the museum is the unmistakable work of Frank Gehry – an architect who has built a legacy for himself upon such structures. What may not be immediately apparent is the crossroads that this serene white building represents: it was in this project at the southwestern corner of Germany (close to the Swiss border) that Gehry first realized a structure in the vein of his now signature style.

AD Classics: Vitra Design Museum / Gehry Partners - Gallery, FacadeAD Classics: Vitra Design Museum / Gehry Partners - Gallery, Facade, DoorAD Classics: Vitra Design Museum / Gehry Partners - Gallery, FacadeAD Classics: Vitra Design Museum / Gehry Partners - Gallery, FacadeAD Classics: Vitra Design Museum / Gehry Partners - More Images+ 5

AD Classics: Montreal Biosphere / Buckminster Fuller

This article was originally published on November 25, 2014. To read the stories behind other celebrated architecture projects, visit our AD Classics section.

Architects have never enjoyed a position of such supreme prominence as they did in the worldview of Buckminster “Bucky” Fuller. To him, architects alone were capable of understanding and navigating the complex interrelationships of society, technology, and environment as viewed through the comprehensive paradigm of systems theory. Architecture, in this model, was intended to exist in close contact with both mankind and nature, playing civilization’s most critical role in elevating the state of humanity and promoting its responsible stewardship of the environment. Emerging from the ethical positivity of postwar modernism, this melioristic perspective marks perhaps the zenith of optimism’s ascent in mid-twentieth century thought, and gave Fuller a uniquely moral blueprint for his revolutionary designs.

AD Classics: Montreal Biosphere / Buckminster Fuller - Learning, FenceAD Classics: Montreal Biosphere / Buckminster Fuller - LearningAD Classics: Montreal Biosphere / Buckminster Fuller - LearningAD Classics: Montreal Biosphere / Buckminster Fuller - Learning, FacadeAD Classics: Montreal Biosphere / Buckminster Fuller - More Images+ 7

Studio KO's Yves Saint Laurent Museum Opens in Marrakech

A new museum dedicated to the life and work of French fashion icon Yves Saint Laurent has opened in the Moroccan city of Marrakech. Designed by Studio KO, the building sits a short distance away from Jardin Majorelle – the home acquired by Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé in 1980. With a large permanent exhibition space designed by scenographist Christophe Martin, showcasing the collections of it's namesake, the museum also features temporary exhibition spaces, a research library and archives, an auditorium, bookstore, and a terrace café.

Studio KO's Yves Saint Laurent Museum Opens in Marrakech - Image 1 of 4Studio KO's Yves Saint Laurent Museum Opens in Marrakech - Image 2 of 4Studio KO's Yves Saint Laurent Museum Opens in Marrakech - Image 3 of 4Studio KO's Yves Saint Laurent Museum Opens in Marrakech - Image 4 of 4Studio KO's Yves Saint Laurent Museum Opens in Marrakech - More Images

AOR Win Commission to Extend Public Art Galleries in Finnish City of Tampere

Designs by Helsinki-based practice AOR have been selected following an open competition for the extension of Tampere Art Museum, in Finland. The existing building which the museum currently occupies was formerly used as a granary, designed by C. L. Engel and completed in 1838. Most believe it to be the third oldest building in the country. AOR's winning proposal seeks to create "a landmark for the museum" by articulating the urban landscape between nearby Pyynikintori square and adjacent parkland, connecting to and with the existing gallery spaces.

AOR Win Commission to Extend Public Art Galleries in Finnish City of Tampere - Image 1 of 4AOR Win Commission to Extend Public Art Galleries in Finnish City of Tampere - Image 2 of 4AOR Win Commission to Extend Public Art Galleries in Finnish City of Tampere - Image 3 of 4AOR Win Commission to Extend Public Art Galleries in Finnish City of Tampere - Image 4 of 4AOR Win Commission to Extend Public Art Galleries in Finnish City of Tampere - More Images+ 6

Louvre Abu Dhabi Announces November Grand Opening

The Ateliers Jean Nouvel-designed Louvre Abu Dhabi is ready to make its grand first appearance, as the museum announced it will open to the public on November 11th.

Opening celebrations will take advantage of the unique structure, with a series of concerts, performances and events planned for a variety of spaces beneath the building’s 180-meter geometric dome. Comprised of nearly 8,000 arabic motif stars, the steel pattern will filter sunlight into a dramatic ‘rain of light’ on the museum’s walls and floors that calls to mind shadows created by overlapping palm trees.

Louvre Abu Dhabi Announces November Grand Opening - Image 1 of 4Louvre Abu Dhabi Announces November Grand Opening - Image 2 of 4Louvre Abu Dhabi Announces November Grand Opening - Image 3 of 4Louvre Abu Dhabi Announces November Grand Opening - Image 4 of 4Louvre Abu Dhabi Announces November Grand Opening - More Images

A Sneak Peek into Jean Nouvel's Louvre Abu Dhabi as It Prepares for Fall Opening

The long-awaited Louvre Abu Dhabi, designed by Ateliers Jean Nouvel, is getting ready for a grand opening, with images showing the metal-domed building in the final stages of construction. Officially started in 2009, work on the museum is nearly complete, with a rumored opening date scheduled for this November.

Studio Gang's American Museum of Natural History Expansion Set to Begin Construction

After receiving approval by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission last fall, Studio Gang’s expansion of the American Museum of Natural History is preparing to begin construction, reports New York YIMBY, as permits for the project have been filed with Department of Buildings.

To be known as the “Richard Gilder Center for Science, Education, and Innovation,” the expansion will consist of 245,000 square feet across six floors, approximately 80 percent of which will be located within the current museum footprint. Three existing museum buildings/wings will be reduced and adapted to accommodate the Gilder Center, which will house a variety of new exhibition and educational spaces, while enhancing connections to existing galleries. In total, approximately 203,000-gross-square-foot will be added to the Museum, already one of the largest natural history museums in the world.

Studio Gang's American Museum of Natural History Expansion Set to Begin Construction - Image 1 of 4Studio Gang's American Museum of Natural History Expansion Set to Begin Construction - Image 3 of 4Studio Gang's American Museum of Natural History Expansion Set to Begin Construction - Image 6 of 4Studio Gang's American Museum of Natural History Expansion Set to Begin Construction - Image 7 of 4Studio Gang's American Museum of Natural History Expansion Set to Begin Construction - More Images+ 5

Kengo Kuma & Associates Unveils Stacked Timber Museum in Turkey

Kengo Kuma & Associates has unveiled their design for the Odunpazari Modern Art Museum, currently under construction in Eskisehir, Turkey, a city well-regarded for its university and young, lively population. Borrowing from the scale and materiality of traditional Ottoman wooden houses, the museum seeks to become a new cultural venue that both stands out and integrates into the existing streetscape.

Kengo Kuma & Associates Unveils Stacked Timber Museum in Turkey - FacadeKengo Kuma & Associates Unveils Stacked Timber Museum in Turkey - Beam, HandrailKengo Kuma & Associates Unveils Stacked Timber Museum in Turkey - Image 3 of 4Kengo Kuma & Associates Unveils Stacked Timber Museum in Turkey - CityscapeKengo Kuma & Associates Unveils Stacked Timber Museum in Turkey - More Images

MVRDV Breaks Ground on Reflective Public Art Depot in Rotterdam

MVRDV’s public Art Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen has broken ground on the northern edge of Rotterdam’s Museumpark in the heart of the city’s cultural campus. The 15,000-square-meter reflective vessel will store the esteemed collection of over 70,000 art and design objects, adding a new cultural landmark to join the nearby Kunsthal, Het Nieuwe Instituut, Chabot Museum and Sonneveld House.

Officially breaking ground this past Friday, the BREEAM Excellent-planned “Collection Building” will combine restoration facilities, exhibition spaces, offices, logistics, a bar, restaurant, public roof terrace and private collectors facilities alongside a specially commissioned atrium that will allow visitors to experience 90% of the collection, including artworks in storage.

BIG's LEGO House Tops Out, Gets September Opening Date

The BIG-designed LEGO House has topped out and is headed toward completion ahead of its just-announced grand opening date on September 28. Located near LEGO’s corporate campus, in the heart of Billund, Denmark, the LEGO experience center will provide an estimated 250,000 yearly guests with a variety of LEGO-themed activities within its 12,000 square meters, inviting visitors of all ages to play and unleash their creativity.

BIG's LEGO House Tops Out, Gets September Opening Date - Image 2 of 4BIG's LEGO House Tops Out, Gets September Opening Date - Image 11 of 4BIG's LEGO House Tops Out, Gets September Opening Date - Image 5 of 4BIG's LEGO House Tops Out, Gets September Opening Date - Image 8 of 4BIG's LEGO House Tops Out, Gets September Opening Date - More Images+ 7

Fly Through Mecanoo's Final Designs for Washington D.C.'s Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library

The District of Columbia Public Library authority has unveiled a fly-through video tour of the final design for the renovation and intervention of its main downtown branch, the Martin Luther King Jr. Public Library. According to the architects, Mecanoo and D.C.-based Martinez+Johnson Architecture, it shows "a modern library that reflects a focus on people, while celebrating the exchange of knowledge, ideas and culture." Slated for reopening in 2020, the designs will add 9,300 square feet of additional space for the public, including a rooftop event space and a landscaped terrace.

Fly Through Mecanoo's Final Designs for Washington D.C.'s Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library - Featured ImageFly Through Mecanoo's Final Designs for Washington D.C.'s Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library - Image 1 of 4Fly Through Mecanoo's Final Designs for Washington D.C.'s Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library - Image 2 of 4Fly Through Mecanoo's Final Designs for Washington D.C.'s Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library - Image 3 of 4Fly Through Mecanoo's Final Designs for Washington D.C.'s Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library - More Images+ 9

Schmidt Hammer Lassen Design New Shanghai Library

With nearly 25 million inhabitants the Chinese city of Shanghai is currently the most populous city in the world and, in addition, has a central library system that dates back to the mid 19th Century. A new city library, designed by Danish practice Schmidt Hammer Lassen and won following a two-stage international competition, will provide 110,000 square meters of space in the Pudong District and adjacent to Century Park – the largest green space in the city.

Schmidt Hammer Lassen Design New Shanghai Library - Image 1 of 4Schmidt Hammer Lassen Design New Shanghai Library - Image 2 of 4Schmidt Hammer Lassen Design New Shanghai Library - Image 3 of 4Schmidt Hammer Lassen Design New Shanghai Library - Image 4 of 4Schmidt Hammer Lassen Design New Shanghai Library - More Images+ 8

Asymptote’s Designs for Moscow Contemporary Hermitage Museum Revealed

Update: We've amended the post with new images from Asymptote Architecture and new quotes from Asymptote Co-founder and Design Partner Hani Rashid.

Asymptote Architecture has revealed renderings of their design for a new Contemporary branch of the Hermitage Museum, to be located adjacent to a new residential district in the area of the former ZIL automotive plant in Moscow. Presented at the V Saint Petersburg International Cultural Forum by Asymptote Co-founder and Design Partner Hani Rashid, the museum will house a collection of contemporary art from 20th and 21st centuries.

Inside Zaha Hadid Architects' Mathematics Gallery for the London Science Museum

This week London's Science Museum will open The Winton Gallery, a new space dedicated to the study and exploration of mathematics, designed by Zaha Hadid Architects. While this is the practice's first permanent public museum exhibition, it also represents the first UK project to open since the death of its eponymous founder and director.

Inspired by the Handley Page aircraft, the design of the space was conceived through observing equations of airflow used in the aviation industry. The layout and lines of the gallery therefore represents the movement of air that would have flowed around this historic aircraft in flight – a metaphor which extends from the positioning of the showcases and benches to the three-dimensional curved surfaces of the central pod structure.

CEBRA Designs New Museum Dedicated to Greenland and the Arctic

Danish firm CEBRA has released images of ARCTIC, a new museum and research center dedicated to the study and education of Greenland and the Arctic, to be located along the Hundested harbour in Halsnæs, Denmark. Although Greenland has been a part of the Kingdom of Denmark for over 600 years, ARCTIC will be the first museum or center that communicates the relationship between these countries through historic, contemporary and future perspectives.

CEBRA Designs New Museum Dedicated to Greenland and the Arctic - Image 1 of 4CEBRA Designs New Museum Dedicated to Greenland and the Arctic - ArchCEBRA Designs New Museum Dedicated to Greenland and the Arctic - Image 3 of 4CEBRA Designs New Museum Dedicated to Greenland and the Arctic - Image 4 of 4CEBRA Designs New Museum Dedicated to Greenland and the Arctic - More Images+ 2