St. Louis Art Museum expansion and renovation

urbanstlouis · PostSep 13, 2005#12005-09-13T14:36+00:00

<A HREF="http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/entert ... 7">British architect chosen to oversee expansion of St. Louis Art Museum</A>

British architect David Chipperfield, 51, has been chosen by the St. Louis Art Museum to design its building expansion and renovation, the museum announced Monday. Official word came after a late afternoon meeting during which the Museum's board of commissioners approved the selection.

The Museum plans to announce a capital campaign late next year and hopes to break ground as early as 2007. The expansion and renovation will be entirely privately funded.

<A HREF="http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/entert ... 7B00158B17">>>> read more</A>

Expat · PostSep 13, 2005#22005-09-13T14:41+00:00

This is great! I can't wait to see what is planned.

xing · PostSep 13, 2005#32005-09-13T21:06+00:00

Oh yes! Excellent!

smsplanstu · PostSep 14, 2005#42005-09-14T03:44+00:00

I looked at Chipperfield's website and at the projects and each is unique and I cannot say what is commonplace with his projects except modernist floor to ceiling windows and use of metal and glass.

jcity · PostSep 19, 2005#52005-09-19T23:23+00:00

If I hear one person say they're upset about the loss of greenspace for this, I'm going to come unglued.

Expat · PostSep 19, 2005#62005-09-19T23:39+00:00

^me, too

trent · PostSep 20, 2005#72005-09-20T04:35+00:00

*(curious to see Jcity and Expat come unglued)*

I'm a little worried about the loss of greenspace this addition will include. Anyone else?

Expat · PostSep 20, 2005#82005-09-20T14:01+00:00

I am not sure how to express "unglued"

But, seriously, I think a smartly done addition would be a great thing. It did occur to me that it would be even nicer for them to build an "annex" downtown. It would provide the space they need and be a teaser for the big one in Forest Park. Of course, that might mean a doubling of staff, etc. But, it sounds good to me.

debaliviere · PostSep 20, 2005#92005-09-20T14:13+00:00

I think a downtown branch of the art museum would be incredible, but unfortunately, art museum officials have said numerous times that they don't want an additional facility. It's a shame - we need more culture downtown.

xing · PostSep 20, 2005#102005-09-20T22:46+00:00

Another contemporary art museum for downtown, would be nice. Who needs just one?

comandantecero · PostSep 22, 2005#112005-09-22T18:59+00:00

or, they could have a museum of photography (or contemporary photography, if they want to float that way). Don't think it would be too hard to start a small one in a storefront, and let it grow with time.

debaliviere · PostSep 23, 2005#122005-09-23T13:19+00:00

^

Cool idea!

jcity · PostSep 27, 2005#132005-09-27T21:15+00:00

So, you're upset about the loss of greenspace?? That might as well be an argument to have the art museum leave Forest Park all together, which is what I would threaten if I were them. Look at a google satellite image of the Met in Central Park. It looks like they've added on more than a couple of times. A larger museum in a smaller park, what we have is the opposite. The museum was built with the intention of having additions added on. Look at the temporary additions to the musuem during the worlds fair.

marmar · PostSep 28, 2005#142005-09-28T00:14+00:00

JCity is right. This is an urban park, not a wildlife presserve. There's plenty of green space in the park that isn't even utilized. As far as I'm concerned, they can get rid of the "natural areas" that look nothing more than like an unkept area. If they MUST have these, at least put them in areas where they're hidden from the roads in the park.

comandantecero · PostSep 29, 2005#152005-09-29T18:07+00:00

i believe trent was joking......

jcity · PostSep 29, 2005#162005-09-29T18:48+00:00

hmm, I don't think he was. Trent?

Expat · PostSep 29, 2005#172005-09-29T19:24+00:00

If he wasn't joking, that is OK. Trent is entitled to be wrong on occasion. Afterall, he is always offering to buy the first beer. Someone like that has some leeway.

trent · PostOct 01, 2005#182005-10-01T04:19+00:00

It's settled...Trent was kidding.

Forest Park has plenty of greenspace, why would I care about the loss of a little behind the art museum?

Chill out, JCity...seriously though. As if.

jcity · PostOct 14, 2005#192005-10-14T19:58+00:00

oh, Trent, I was just kidding and who still says "as if"? jk

trent · PostOct 14, 2005#202005-10-14T21:31+00:00

Only idiots who refer to themselves in the third person.

loulou · PostFeb 13, 2006#212006-02-13T19:51+00:00

Is it too late to be great? That was the mantra 150 years ago, before the creation of all the great American museums, from Boston, Philadelphia, Washington and Chicago to Baltimore, Minneapolis, Detroit, Toledo, Cleveland, St. Louis, Kansas City, Pittsburgh and Fort Worth.

The above is from an article by Michael Kimmelman in today's New York Times, about the recent problems at the Getty Museum in California. I believe Kimmelman was in STL recently to visit the Contemporary Art museum.

Perhaps the mere fact that I'm mentioning this makes me seem like a complete hayseed, because it should be obvious that the Saint Louis Art Museum is one of the best in the country. Still, it's good to see the museum getting its due.

jmedwick · PostFeb 14, 2006#222006-02-14T02:14+00:00

You are correct LouLou, SLAM is well known nationaly for being a good quality museum. People in St. Louis don't always know it, but it is well respected nationaly. I had no idea untill my art historian now-wife told me.

suburban lou · PostApr 12, 2006#232006-04-12T05:40+00:00

Art Museum addition moves to next phase with pair of decisions

By David Bonetti

POST-DISPATCH VISUAL ARTS CRITIC

04/11/2006

The board of commissioners of the St. Louis Art Museum unanimously adopted an architectural master plan Tuesday for the first phase of the museum's planned expansion in Forest Park.

It also voted to proceed to the design stage, which, like the master plan, will be handled by London-based David Chipperfield Architects. Completion of the preliminary design is expected by year's end.

Read More

aimster · PostApr 14, 2006#242006-04-14T14:05+00:00

There was an article in the St. Louis Business Journal about the SLAM expansion. Chicago based Rise Group LLC has been selected to do the Project Management for the project.

http://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/stor ... 2&hbx=e_du

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jcity · PostApr 25, 2006#252006-04-25T02:12+00:00

why can't they just add wings to the museum like there were during the World's Fair? Look at any WF photo, and you can see the temporary wings on either side.. why don't they just build those? Mirror the original ones? The try to blend/ contrast/ historic vs. modern is getting so played out.. do something different. just build the ones that were already there...