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By early 2010, the Queens Museum of Art will be a transformed institution. Building on 35 years of success, it will grow to be one of the most interesting and enjoyable cultural institutions in the greater New York area. The key to this transformation is the Museum’s expansion: a doubling of the size, to 100,000 square feet, which will create one of the most refined museum spaces in the country. Grimshaw Architects has developed plans for a stunning facility that will engage diverse communities and make the Queens Museum into a model for the urban, American museum of the future.
The Grimshaw design offers a refined solution to the limitations of the current New York City Building, adding over 50,000 sq ft of space and incorporating the half of the building currently occupied by the World’s Fair Skating Rink. The exterior interventions, while respecting the landmark building’s integrity and history, will create a highly visible transition from park to Museum and vice versa. New entrances on both the east and west sides of the building will welcome visitors into a large skylit lobby. A stunning etched glass panel running most of the height and length of the east façade will make the Museum highly visible to everyone driving along the Grand Central Parkway. Windows and skylights will bathe the building in an inviting glow. The new central gallery will feature a wide open space for displaying large-scale art works and hosting special events. In the suite of seven galleries arranged around this space, unique lighting will optimize natural light, protecting artwork and offering one of the most appealing gallery spaces in all of New York. A café and a bookstore will further enhance the visitors’ experience. In addition to doubling the Museum’s classroom space, the new building will augment office spaces and art storage facilities as well.Over the next few years there will be many exciting changes at the Queens Museum of Art. Please join us on a journey that will transform the Museum into a world-class institution.
For additional information on the Grimshaw design for the Queens Museum of Art, please feel free to peruse the following press materials:
QMA Releases Designs of Museum Expansion Project - Press Release: Open PDF
Expansion Fact Sheet: Open PDF
About Grimshaw Architects: Open PDF
Architect's Bios: Open PDF
About the NYC Department of Design and Construction's Design Excellence Program: Open PDF |
