I visited Portland Art Museum. To me, Portland is not a big city with high density, but it at least has a downtown area with density features to the low-density cities within Portland Great Metro Area. While Portland Art Museum serves as a main art center for Portland City, associated with NW Film Center and the nearby museums. This summer I have been to Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, so in my point of view, Portland Art Museum is like a super-mini version of it. But they have some similarities from their programs to functions, like educating people and objects display. What I am thinking is the lack of enough space for interaction for Portland Art Museum.
It also reminds me when I visit MOMA New York half a month ago. Due to its exhibition specialization, MOMA could potentially install more projects with public access and interactions like digital arts projects. With a much higher density around MOMA NYC, it is possible a reason of its better public participation based on my observation. It has assured my hypothesis for the site location that need to be a place within high-density around.
And I interviewed several friends who was either in my hometown or in another big city in China while now reside in almost suburban campus town in US about their opinions about my proposed program. They all agreed with my concept about the urbanization fragmentary situation in China now. And what they concern are the site location, internal atmosphere ( in terms of its theme) and its survival possibility ( in terms of commercial aspects). And all of them agreed that the workshops and events space are crucial to citizens and public since the one of the main purpose is to provide a platform for art and design spread and interaction. A business major friend – young female – consider the commercial feelings need to be softened within the building even it is to supporting the building sustainability. Another friends inquired about the sense of the theme. The last one – male, biology major – talked about his personal experience in a museum showing a project of balance that attracted him while he felt regret not being able to get a small model of it. Generally the interaction and communication space matters the most to them.
Another concern is also about its sustainability if without the government supporting, the using in the day and at night, and the public access renewal ability. It helps me to realize about the importance of its own sustaining and the balance between commercial space and educational significance.
The building could be an icon. Since it will be a special piece within the urban context to joint the disordered pieces, it is not necessary to let the building melt into its surroundings.
MOMA, NYC
from www.inspirationbit.com/a-canadian-in-new-york/
Still, MOMA NYC is a good example in my point of view.
My draft program for the main exhibition area and its relevant supporting is the following:
( very draft)
exhibition 10000sqft
workshop 800sqft x 5 = 4000sqft
studio 800sqft x 10 = 8000sqft
bookstore 2000sqft
library 2000sqft
archive 2000sqft
conference 7000sqft ( 1 big, 2 medium)
cinema 1500sqft
cafe/restaurant 2000sqft
circulation/facilities 8000sqft
total 60000sqft
According to the program, for the exhibition solely, there should match a site less than 60000sqft that brings to a FAR above 1 to represent urban features in my point of view. This draft data eliminate the giant clear land site and better helps for the site hunting. Unfortunately, I could see the large clearance of land in Wuhan, my hometown through current google earth that made me sad.
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