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harvard art museums expansion by renzo piano nears completion photo by peter vanderwarkerall images courtesy of harvard art museums
the renovation and expansion of ‘harvard art museums‘ is nearing completion in cambridge, massachusetts. built on the current site of the fogg museum at quincy street, the unifying structure
will contain the renowned school’s three art museums – the fogg, busch-reisinger and the arthur m. sackler museum. designed by renzo piano building workshop, the plan will provide an
additional 12,000 square feet (1,115 square meters) of gallery space.
articulated around the existing museums’ restored courtyard, the facility integrates the 1920s georgian revival building with a glazed rooftop structure that connects the scheme. this
addition controls natural light entering the atrium, as well as adjacent art study centers and galleries.
the expansion provides an additional 12,000 square feet of gallery spacephoto by peter vanderwarker
ensuring that the remodeling returns the architecture to its original state, all modifications made after 1927 have been demolished, while each aspect of the historic building – structural,
mechanical and technical – have been restored and upgraded. placed at a more prominent location on level four, the art study centers within the design have been significantly refurbished.
above, the conservation lab will continue to occupy the top storey beneath the sloping glazed canopy. public amenities and support spaces for special events have been enlarged and
modernized, including a 300 seat auditorium at basement level.
the structure will contain the school’s 3 museums – the fogg, busch-reisinger and the arthur m. sackler museumphoto by harvard art museums
reorienting access to the museums, a new entrance from prescott street symbolically opens the building to the community, while external views from the courtyard help ground the structure and
provide a distinct sense of place. the project is scheduled to open on november 16, 2014, eight years after piano’s original plans were floated.
for designboom’s previous coverage of ‘harvard art museums’, see here.
a new entrance from prescott street symbolically opens the building to the communityaerial photo by lesvants.com
the glazed rooftop structure controls natural light entering the designaerial photo by lesvants.com
the program is articulated around the existing museum’s restored courtyardphotos by peter vanderwarker
all areas within the design have undergone significant refurbishment photo by zak jensen
currently under conservation, the art study center is located on the fourth floorphoto by peter vanderwarker
looking down to the historic courtyard below photo by peter atkinson
‘harvard art museums’ is scheduled to open on november 16, 2014photo by peter vanderwarker