November 12, 2004

	Images Courtesy Whitney Museum of American Art

Just when all eyes were moving to the Museum of Modern Art's Manhattan addition, the Whitney Museum of American Art on November 9 released model images of Renzo Piano's design for an expansion and renovation of the institution's space on New York's Upper East Side. Piano was chosen for the project early this summer, and has since been developing a comprehensive vision for the site.

The understated expansion design, which the museum stresses will be "scaled to the residential buildings" in the area, will add new permanent and special exhibition galleries, education space, an auditorium, research center, a paper study room, library, and administrative space.

The new structure will sit within a group of brownstones on Madison Avenue and 74th Street, connected to the Whitney's Marcel Breuer-designed building by transparent, enclosed bridges between galleries on each floor. Piano's simple cubical exterior will rise higher than the Breuer building, and will emphasize the art inside with elegant, muted galleries. The museum adds that the design will not alter the forms of Breuer's building, the museum's storefront buildings on Madison Avenue, or the two townhouse office buildings on East 74th street that the museum now uses for administrative facilities. The design is an extreme contrast with the vision of Rem Koolhaas, whose flamboyant addition, which would have altered the space's image significantly, was cancelled in spring 2003.

"Renzo Piano's addition will be an extraordinary gift to our visitors, to our neighborhood, and to New York," says museum Director Adam Weinberg.

Piano's work will also include significant renovation of the museum's current spaces, including upgraded galleries, sculpture courtyard and improved facilities for art handling. The space will also contain new retail and restaurant facilitites.

The expansion and renovation comes at a crucial time, Whitney officials point out. The museum's permanent collection has grown by more than 65% over the past ten years, ballooning to almost 15,000 works. Because of limited space the museum has been able to present less than 2% of its permanent collection.

The design will be presented to the city shortly, says the Whitney press office, while dates for construction and completion will be announced in the future.

Sam Lubell

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