Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum Extension (Pre-Paris kick-off)

(It's been two years since I was last active on a blog. It seems like generally nothing changed between then and now, nothing to bring up if someone was to ask me, 'what's new', still mostly just living a studio based grad school life since 2010. At the same time, reading back just a few entries, I know that I've changed. I don't see eye to eye with the me that wrote some of the older posts; I guess that means that even if nothing has changed, really everything has.)

The big 'what's new' is starting tomorrow. It's also the reason I'm considering bringing this blog back to life. I'll be getting on a plane, flying to Paris, and not coming back for six months.

As a kick-off event for my internship at Renzo Piano's office, I went to visit his extension to the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum.

Both of the images above were taken from the "living room". A comfortable and colorful space with books, birds, media and staff who are available to chat about the museum and its collection. While the idea behind the program is quite fascinating; the room seemed underused and difficult to understand. I only wandered into it by accident on my way out, after having already retrieved my belongings from the coat check. Upon entering the room, I was unsure of what I was supposed to do. This was a good example of my general confusion on how to move through the space of the new addition.

I don't often start my way through small museums by looking at a map, and at the addition this led to me ascending the stairs to a number of 'staff only' closed doors, not exactly the way I wanted to begin my visit. Fortunately, the stairs themselves afforded a framed view of the old museum, a nice touch for one building in support of another, and a perfect way to start my visit.

I loved the transparency and views from space to space; views toward the old museum, but also layered views, like the ones I took from the living room, crossing through the 'umbilical cord' (connecting the two buildings) and looking into the restaurant beyond. Renzo talks a bit about the transparency of the project in an interview which you can find on the building project website.

photo by Nic Lehoux

The performance hall was also quite delightful. A striking space lit by a large skylight and circled by intimate, one row deep seating on the upper floors. Though geometrically simple (a cube), this, to me, was the most innovative space of the project. It reminded me of the way one circles around the central courtyard garden of the Gardner house, looking at the flowers, but also seeing the other visitors peering in from other sides.

photo by Nic Lehoux

In general, however, it was difficult to make the connection between old and new. This is one of the major critiques I've heard from others who have visited. None of the hyper quirky spirit of the old museum makes it to the addition, but maybe that's okay. By placing a gap between the two buildings it's already obvious Renzo was not trying to unify the two. Isabella imparted her spirit to her architecture and now Renzo to his.