On a recent hard-hat tour of the Whitney Museum of American Art’s new building in Downtown Manhattan’s Meatpacking District, the project’s architect Renzo Piano emphasized the way it will connect to its surroundings. “I love making places that contribute to city life,” said Piano. The 9-story museum, which is half-way through construction, stands at the southern end of the High Line with a series of outdoor terraces stepping down on its city side and great glass walls that will look out to the Hudson River on its other side. The $422-million building will offer the Whitney three times the amount of exhibition space as its current home in a Marcel Breuer structure on 75th Street, as well as a 170-seat theater, an education center, a conservation lab, and a ground-floor restaurant run by Danny Meyer. For the first time, the Whitney will be able to display on a permanent basis a significant portion of its collection. It will also boast the largest column-free museum gallery in New York City: 18,000 square feet on its fifth floor. The Metropolitan Museum of Art will take over the Whitney’s Breuer building when the Piano building opens in 2015.
Progress Report: Renzo Piano's New Whitney Museum
![Renzo Piano visits the project site. Whitney Museum director Adam Weinberg speaks in the background.](https://www.architecturalrecord.com/ext/resources/archives/news/2013/06/images/slideshow/130627/1.jpg?t=1450318338&width=1080)
Progress Report: Renzo Piano's New Whitney Museum
Renzo Piano visits the project site. Whitney Museum director Adam Weinberg speaks in the background.
Photo © Architectural Record
![The Whitney's chief curator and deputy director for programs Donna de Salvo (left) presents the building with Renzo Piano Building Workshop partner and project architect Elisabetta Trezzani (right).](https://www.architecturalrecord.com/ext/resources/archives/news/2013/06/images/slideshow/130627/2.jpg?height=720&t=1450318338)
Progress Report: Renzo Piano's New Whitney Museum
The Whitney's chief curator and deputy director for programs Donna de Salvo (left) presents the building with Renzo Piano Building Workshop partner and project architect Elisabetta Trezzani (right).
Photo © Architectural Record
![A view of the building with the High Line in the foreground, Junne 2013.](https://www.architecturalrecord.com/ext/resources/archives/news/2013/06/images/slideshow/130627/3.jpg?t=1450318338&width=1080)
Progress Report: Renzo Piano's New Whitney Museum
A view of the building with the High Line in the foreground, Junne 2013.
Photo © Timothy Schenck
![A view of the building looking west to the Hudson River, June 2013.](https://www.architecturalrecord.com/ext/resources/archives/news/2013/06/images/slideshow/130627/4.jpg?height=720&t=1450318338)
Progress Report: Renzo Piano's New Whitney Museum
A view of the building looking west to the Hudson River, June 2013.
Photo © Timothy Schenck
![A view of the building from the Hudson River, June 2013.](https://www.architecturalrecord.com/ext/resources/archives/news/2013/06/images/slideshow/130627/5.jpg?height=720&t=1450318338)
Progress Report: Renzo Piano's New Whitney Museum
A view of the building from the Hudson River, June 2013.
Photo © Timothy Schenck
![A view of the building from the West Side Highway, June 2013.](https://www.architecturalrecord.com/ext/resources/archives/news/2013/06/images/slideshow/130627/6.jpg?t=1450318338&width=1080)
Progress Report: Renzo Piano's New Whitney Museum
A view of the building from the West Side Highway, June 2013.
Photo © Timothy Schenck
![The eighth-floor gallery's skylights, June 2013.](https://www.architecturalrecord.com/ext/resources/archives/news/2013/06/images/slideshow/130627/7.jpg?t=1450318338&width=1080)
Progress Report: Renzo Piano's New Whitney Museum
The eighth-floor gallery's skylights, June 2013.
Photo © Timothy Schenck
![A view of the building's top three floors, June 2013.](https://www.architecturalrecord.com/ext/resources/archives/news/2013/06/images/slideshow/130627/8.jpg?t=1450318338&width=1080)
Progress Report: Renzo Piano's New Whitney Museum
A view of the building's top three floors, June 2013.
Photo © Timothy Schenck
![Looking west from the building's sixth floor gallery, June 2013.](https://www.architecturalrecord.com/ext/resources/archives/news/2013/06/images/slideshow/130627/9.jpg?t=1450318338&width=1080)
Progress Report: Renzo Piano's New Whitney Museum
Looking west from the building's sixth floor gallery, June 2013.
Photo © Timothy Schenck
![The building's threater space overlooks the Hudson River, April 2013.](https://www.architecturalrecord.com/ext/resources/archives/news/2013/06/images/slideshow/130627/10.jpg?t=1450318338&width=1080)
Progress Report: Renzo Piano's New Whitney Museum
The building's threater space overlooks the Hudson River, April 2013.
Photo © Timothy Schenck
![Fifth floor gallery, looking west, April 2013.](https://www.architecturalrecord.com/ext/resources/archives/news/2013/06/images/slideshow/130627/11.jpg?t=1450318338&width=1080)
Progress Report: Renzo Piano's New Whitney Museum
Fifth floor gallery, looking west, April 2013.
Photo © Timothy Schenck
![Outdoor terrace on the building's sixth floor, April 2013.](https://www.architecturalrecord.com/ext/resources/archives/news/2013/06/images/slideshow/130627/12.jpg?t=1450318338&width=1080)
Progress Report: Renzo Piano's New Whitney Museum
Outdoor terrace on the building's sixth floor, April 2013.
Photo © Timothy Schenck
![Progress Report: Renzo Piano's New Whitney Museum](https://www.architecturalrecord.com/ext/resources/archives/news/2013/06/images/slideshow/130627/13.jpg?t=1450318338&width=1080)
Progress Report: Renzo Piano's New Whitney Museum
Drawing courtesy Whitney Museum of American Art
![Progress Report: Renzo Piano's New Whitney Museum](https://www.architecturalrecord.com/ext/resources/archives/news/2013/06/images/slideshow/130627/14.jpg?t=1450318338&width=1080)
Progress Report: Renzo Piano's New Whitney Museum
Rendering courtesy Whitney Museum of American Art
![Progress Report: Renzo Piano's New Whitney Museum](https://www.architecturalrecord.com/ext/resources/archives/news/2013/06/images/slideshow/130627/15.jpg?t=1450318338&width=1080)
Progress Report: Renzo Piano's New Whitney Museum
Rendering courtesy Whitney Museum of American Art