Jidipi

Grand Rapids Art Museum Leed Gold Certified

Mon, May 5, 2008MuseumUnited States2007Brutalism, Bauhaus, Technoism, Postmodernism, Functionalism

GRAND RAPIDS ART MUSEUM: LEED GOLD CERTIFIED

Why Architecture

Exterior view of the Grand Rapids Art Museum beyond the park trees and paths.
© wHY Architecture

ARCHITECTS
Why Architecture

AREA
125.0 ft2

LOCATION
Grand Rapids, MI, USA

YEAR
2007

CATEGORY
Museum

Aerial view of the museum and adjoining park, including the circular plaza.
© wHY Architecture

Text description provided by the architects.

The new Grand Rapids Art Museum occupies one city block right in the heart of Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Grand Rapids is a city well known for its legacy and influence on commerce, craft and modern design and it is the home to many international companies - AmWay, Steelcase, Herman Miller, Haworth, among others.

The new museum has 125,000 SF of floor area with more than 50,000 SF of gallery and art exhibition spaces.

Street-level view of the museum’s concrete facade, projecting upper volumes, and glazed ground floor.
© wHY Architecture
A planted courtyard with trees, pale gravel, and concrete planters beside the museum.
© wHY Architecture
View through a large window toward the museum courtyard and reflecting pool.
© wHY Architecture

The new building is located adjacent to the park with sculpture "Ecliptic" by Maya Lin, forming an urban oasis surrounded by tall buildings.

GRAND WITHIN ITS CONTEXT AND HUMANISTIC IN ITS MISSION

The design stresses both the symbolic need of a museum to be a civic icon within the city, plus fulfilling humanistic needs for people to have their own experience with art. It is grand in its presence, and intimate in the experience, working in harmony.

Museum lobby steps lead toward a colorful artwork displayed on the far wall.
© wHY Architecture
Art gallery with a seated sculpture in the foreground and paintings on the walls.
© wHY Architecture
A long art gallery with paintings along the walls and a skylight above.
© wHY Architecture

The projecting canopies, like large canopies of trees extend up and reach out to frame the park and the city, similar to the Japanese concept of "borrowed scenery".

The sheltering canopy defines a place for multiple urban activities, as a gathering place for people.

FINGERS INTO THE GREEN / POCKETS OF NATURE

The front of the building is formed like fingers extending into the green of the park.

Museum stair hall with broad steps, glass balustrades, and horizontal window louvers.
© wHY Architecture
Gallery interior with a wood stair, glass balustrade, and artworks along the walls.
© wHY Architecture
Quiet museum passage with a round concrete column, wood partitions, and tall windows.
© wHY Architecture

Museum lobby, restaurant, education center are projecting pavilions towards the park with pockets of nature between them.

Arriving in the museum, pockets of nature between museum pavilions slow people down from hectic pace of urban life.

Bright museum lobby with a staircase, tall windows, and artwork on a white wall.
© wHY Architecture
Museum lobby with a broad stair and glass balustrades beside tall louvered windows.
© wHY Architecture

The presence of nature within allows the visitor to reach a state of repose, adjust their eyes and conscience state for the art to come. Layers of screening - louvers, glass and shades soften the light and calm the mind.

The inner sanctum beyond is the 3-level gallery tower where top floor galleries are lit with lantern skylights, serving as light givers to the galleries as well as illuminating "beacons" in the urban night sky.

Art gallery displaying paintings and a sculpture on a pedestal.
© wHY Architecture
Museum auditorium with rows of chairs, wood-paneled walls, and a dark ceiling.
© wHY Architecture

Light truly breathes in the gallery- the changing of time is sensed in the changing light of the galleries. Being one of the very first art museums in the US designed with the goal for LEED certification, the use of natural light in the building is carefully planned.

Most public areas of the museum have natural light, and gallery rooms welcome light from top lantern skylights as well as large windows which also connect art to surrounding urban life.

A tree-planted courtyard beneath the museum’s broad, illuminated canopy, designed by wHY Architecture.
© wHY Architecture
Museum entrance beneath a deep concrete canopy, with glazed doors and horizontal louvers.
© wHY Architecture

Grand Rapids Art Museum's design emphasizes the important balance of both the exterior openness and the interior calmness, both people's needs to connect and also their needs to take inner joumeys with the arts.

Both for people to enjoy the uplifting quality of light in the galleries as well as for them to enjoy wonderful outdoor time under the canopy.

Concrete columns and illuminated canopy frame the museum entrance at night.
© wHY Architecture
A tree-lined courtyard between the museum’s concrete wings, seen at night.
© wHY Architecture

The museum set among downtown buildings and a green park.
© wHY Architecture
The museum faces an open plaza with seating, lawn and a fountain in the foreground.
© wHY Architecture
A covered interior passage beside a facade screened with horizontal louvers.
© wHY Architecture
A small planted courtyard framed by concrete walls and louvered windows.
© wHY Architecture
The museum’s projecting canopy and glazed facade illuminated at dusk.
© wHY Architecture
Wide view of the museum’s illuminated entrance canopy and adjoining wings at night.
© wHY Architecture

Architectural plan drawing of the museum level.
Architectural floor plan showing the museum’s rooms and circulation.
Labeled museum floor plan showing the lobby, reflecting pool, sculpture court, auditorium and galleries.
Sustainability diagram outlining daylighting, materials, water management and other strategies for the museum.

Museum site plan and labeled architectural rendering identifying the lobby, gallery wing, education center and cafe.
Building section drawing through a gallery, print rooms and auditorium.