Miami Art Museum in Miami, United States

August 18, 2010 Category: Cultural, Public Buildings

Located in Miami, United States, Miami Art Museum was designed by Architects Herzog + de Meuron unveiled its design for the new and expanded Miami Art Museum at a lecture held last week in Miami. But just four days after the announcement the museum’s Director, architect and former chief curator of architecture and design at MoMA Terence Riley, announced his resignation. The news comes at a critical time in the institution’s evolution, which Riley himself said on the occasion of his hiring in 2006 “was on the cusp of becoming a leading center for art internationally”.

Having served as the museum’s director for nearly four years, during which time he greatly expanded its collection and its visibility in the art world, no reason was given for his departure which will see him resume his role as a Partner in the New York-based design studio, Keenen/Riley Architects. Riley will stay on as a consultant until June 30th 2010 and advise the museum on matters related to the new building, which is slated to open in 2013.

Herzog + de Meuron’s 120,000 sq ft building, scheduled to break ground in spring, will be more than three times the size of the existing museum, which is solely an exhibition space, and will provide the kinds of spaces needed to transform the institution into a world class art museum. Located on the Biscayne Bay, the building is a critical piece of the city’s revitalisation and will be the anchor of the 29-acre Museum Park, which will also be the furture home to the Miami Science Museum.

Designed with many green features to achieve LEED silver certification, the three storey museum is a modern temple of art set atop a raised podium and under a broad canopy that extends out from the museum’s walls to create a shaded veranda and plazas below. The canopy will be strategically perforated to allow light to enter the building where needed and will have lush vegetation cascading from the openings that will transform the veranda into a garden.

The museum will house expanded gallery space and an educational complex that will contain a library, auditorium, classrooms, workshop space, and a café and store.

Miami Art Museum Design by Architects Herzog + de Meuron

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