News
KIMBELL DESIGN UNVEILED
June 1, 2010
 | |
| Construction starts this summer on the latest chichi museum in Fort Worth's Cultural District: the Kimbell Art Museum's $125M new 85k SF building (designed by Renzo Piano Building Workshop). Located to the west of its Louis I. Kahn-designed building, the new museum will feature an additional 16k SF of gallery space, 290-seat auditorium, library, and educational space. Kimbell director Eric Lee says the museum has never been able to present a major exhibition and a full display of the permanent collection simultaneously. When the Piano building (consisting of two connected structures) opens in 2013, it becomes possible. | |
 | |
| We snapped the front of the Kahn building (although in our 30 years of visiting, we've never used this entrance to view Monet,Rembrandt, or Cezanne's works.) Apparently, we're not the only ones who've always used the back entrance. Kimbell board prez Kay Fortson says one of the best aspects of the new design is "the gracefulness with which it refocuses attention on the original main entrance. Now visitors will enter as Kahn intended." Renzo, who worked for a time in Kahn's office, also designed the Nasher Sculpture Center in Dallas. |
