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During Art Basel Miami Beach 2014 (4-7 December), FR-EE / Fernando Romero EnterprisE will be revealing the new Latin American Art Museum (LAAM). The New York and Mexico City-based practice was commissioned by a private art collector keen to expand his existing gallery into a grand museum in Miami. The expansive collection includes works by Diego Rivera, Wifredo Lam, Roberto Matta, and Guillermo Kutica.
In an official release, FR-EE states: “Just a few days ago, President Barack Obama allowed millions of illegal immigrants (most of them Latinos or Hispanics) to establish legally in the USA. In this historical socio-political context, the proposal for a new museum for Latin American art is a trigger to renovate the relations with the USA, and it also constitutes an unbeatable chance to rethink the significance of Latin American architecture and art in America.”
Set over four storeys, the museum will feature grand projecting terraces set off from one another. Designed as ‘sculptural gardens’, these open-air spaces will play host to external artworks and also provide space for informal meetings and social gatherings. There are plans to develop the nearby land into a residential community in the future, so FR-EE has designed the LAAM as ‘a sort of meeting point for the residents and their visits’.
The first floor will be dedicated to the work of emerging Latin American artists, the second floor will house temporary exhibitions, the third floor will be reserved for 600 pieces belonging to the permanent collection, and the forth floor will be the location of the restaurant. It is hoped that the porous nature of the LAAM’s design will encourage curious passers-by to enter the museum and explore the artworks on display.
Credits
Architect: FR-EE / Fernando Romero EnterprisE
FR-EE Team: Fernando Romero, Sergio Rebelo, Unai Artetxe, Daniela Gallo, Sunny Ruoting, Celia Julve, João Urbano, Jessica Wang, Yuri Jeong, Alex Zee, Feifei Song, Qingyi Chen, Francisco Crisóstomo, Wen Zhu