MCA Denver by David Adjaye

The New MCA, designed by David Adjaye, one of the leading architects in the world today, is at once bold and refined, meeting all the criteria set forth when a permanent home for MCA was first envisioned:

A design that supports rather than defines the museum's mission. The design clearly articulates the Museum's exhibition and program requirements. The museum features five galleries and a rooftop pavilion, and also education, office and retail spaces, designed in three units of different heights. The majority of spaces are enveloped in an exterior grey-tinted glass curtain wall. The choice of quiet, monochromatic materials, and the building's calm shapes and clean lines, underline the architect's decision for the design to support, rather than define the museum's mission.

An environmentally-efficient building. MCA is actively pursuing LEED certification, which would make MCA the first contemporary art museum in the country to achieve such status. Plenty of natural light, 20% of recycled construction content, and the use of light coloured, highly reflective concrete are only some of the points to support the MCA Denver's aim to become the first Gold LEED certified contemporary art museum in the States.

A fiscally responsible project. The construction cost for the new building is $16.3 million. Apart from being Adjaye’s first US public building, it is also his first contemporary art museum worldwide. David Adjaye is recognized as one of the leading young architects of his generation in the UK, building a reputation as an architect with an artist's vision.

In 2000, he reorganized his studio as Adjaye/Associates and has gone on to win a number of prestigious commissions, including the Nobel Peace Center in Oslo, Norway, and The Idea Stores, two new libraries in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, which were recently selected by Deyan Sudjic for the exhibition highlighting 100 projects that are changing the world at the VIII Venice Biennale of Architecture 2002.

MCA's new facility is visionary and elegant. It will be a 21st century city landmark and a tourist destination. It will contribute to the revitalization of Lower Down-town, in particular the Central Platte Valley district near the historic Union Station building.

All photos courtesy of Ed Reeve.

Comments

[jgrill]

Actually the Grand Rapids Museum (GRAM) opened this fall as the first LEED-certified art museum in the world, though it's not dedicated to contemporary art specifically.

[Architects India]

Have heard it is absolutely breathtaking