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After the design and manufacturing of its complex facade delayed it’s opening, The Broad, a new contemporary art museum in downtown Los Angeles has announced a new opening date of fall 2015. Under construction on Grand Street, The Broad will house the personal collection of Eli and Edye Broad, which numbers more than 2,000 artworks, in a landmark building designed by New York architect, Diller Scofidio + Renfro. Located across the street from the Walt Disney Concert Hall and MOCA, The Broad will be a key player in the downtown arts district.
In contrast to Gehry’s Disney Concert Hall which is sculptural, shiny and reflective, The Broad will be boxy, matte and absorptive. DS & R’s concept for the building is the veil and vault, a name that speaks to the building’s key program elements of exhibition space (the veil) and storage space (the vault). The building features two floors of public gallery space and a central vault to house the collection. The veil drapes over the building and seemingly lifts up at the corners to create two public entrances.
From the light filled lobby, visitors will see a sculptural tubular staircase that will beckon them up to the third floor and deliver them into nearly an acre of column free gallery space. From this vast loft-like space, they will descend a staircase equipped with windowed landings that will provide glimpses into the art storage space. Diller says the idea here is to put the curatorial function front and center rather than hiding it away as in most museums.
All together the museum will have more than 50,000 sq ft of exhibition space and 24,000 sq ft of outdoor space. The building’s unique design promises to bring a bit of mystery and surprise to the experience of visiting a museum and add some welcomed green space to the neighborhood.
In keeping with Eli and Edythe Broad’s mission to make the arts accessible to all, the museum will offer free general admission.
Sharon McHugh
US Correspondent
