Steven Holl's cloud-inspired Houston art gallery breaks ground
by Kim Megson | 05 Jun 2017
The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston has broken ground on a new building dedicated to modern and contemporary art, designed by Steven Holl Architects.
The 165,000sq ft (15,300sq m) Nancy and Rich Kinder Building is the centrepiece of the museum’s wider US$450m (€400m, £348m) expansion, and will house 54,000sq ft (5,000sq m) of gallery space for exhibitions showcasing its collection.
The building will be clad in a translucent-glass exterior, which will glow when lit from within at night. The perimeter will be inset with six pools of water at ground level. Concave curves inspired by cloud circles will push down on the roof geometry, the spaces in between them allowing natural light to slip in.
The undersides of the curved ceilings will become reflectors, illuminating the gallery spaces with light that is “organic and flowing, like the movement of the galleries and the lush vegetation and water characterising the new campus.”
Holl is known for his use of light design to create urban environments that actively boost quality of life, human health, wellbeing and performance. Last year he was honoured with the Daylight Award in Architecture for his work in this area.
Organised horizontally on two levels, the gallery rooms of the Kinder Building are centred around a triple-height forum. A stepped ramp and elevators link the lobby and gallery levels, and the open flow through the exhibition spaces is punctuated by views into the seven gardens.
Additional facilities include a 200-seat theatre, a café, a restaurant overlooking the sculpture garden, and an underground parking garage. One pedestrian tunnel will connect the Kinder building to the new Glassell School of Art, which is also being designed by Holl.
The 14-acre redesign of the Museum’s Susan and Fayez S. Sarofim Campus – which, in addition to the Kinder and Glassell buildings, also features a landscape plan with multiple public plazas, by Deborah Nevins & Associates, and the Sarah Campbell Blaffer Center for Conservation – has been planned to expand the role the museum plays in the daily life of Houston as “a cultural institution and an urban oasis open to all.”
The entire project is scheduled for completion in late 2019. The combined capital and endowment campaign has reached nearly US$390m (€346.5m, £301.6m).
Steven Holl Architects were selected to design the Kinder building through an international competition in 2012, and were chosen ahead of fellow finalists Snohetta and Morphosis.
Steven Holl art Houston Texas MFAH architecture design The Museum of Fine Arts Houston Nancy and Rich Kinder Building
The building will be clad in a translucent-glass exterior, which will glow when lit from within at night / Steven Holl Architects
The undersides of the curved ceilings will become reflectors, illuminating the gallery spaces with light that is 'organic and flowing' / Steven Holl Architects
The 165,000sq ft (15,300sq m) Nancy and Rich Kinder Building is the centerpiece of the museum’s wider US$450m (€400m, £348m) expansion / Steven Holl Architects
Organised horizontally on two levels, the gallery rooms are centered around a triple-height forum / Steven Holl Architects
. Concave curves inspired by cloud circles will push down on the roof geometry, the spaces in between them allowing natural light to slip in / Steven Holl Architects
Clocks and clouds inspire Steven Holl's Shanghai culture and health centre
Steven Holl returns with sculptural arts complex in Iowa
Steven Holl wins international prize for his use of daylight in design
Steven Holl Architects chosen for Mumbai City Museum job
Sifang Art Museum by Steven Holl Architects opens in Nanjing, China
The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston has broken ground on a new building dedicated to modern and contemporary art, designed by Steven Holl Architects. The 165,000sq ft (15,300sq m) Nancy and Rich Kinder Building is the centrepiece of the museum’s wider US$450m (€400m, £348m) expansion, and will house 54,000sq ft (5,000sq m) of gallery space for exhibitions showcasing its collection. The building will be clad in a translucent-glass exterior, which
VAT,HAM,AAC,ARC,DES,CLD
More news
Cooper Robertson's Erin Flynn explains MOMA's "3D puzzle" of creating space
by Stu Robarts | 13 Nov 2019
Plenty has been written about the newly opened Diller Scofidio + Renfro expansion of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York, but there's been work going on behind the scenes too. With 38,000sq ft (3,500sq m) of new gallery space and 21,000sq ft (2,000sq m) of new public space, there's much more for visitors to explore. But front-of-house spaces need new back-of-house spaces to support them and that
Snøhetta and Clark Nexsen design sloped, curved and cantilevered library and public commons
by Stu Robarts | 13 Nov 2019
Snøhetta and Clark Nexsen have revealed their design for the new Charlotte Mecklenburg Library, with elements that help to achieve the mission of it being more than just a library and also serving as a public commons. Located in the US city of Charlotte, North Carolina, the building will cover an area of 115,000sq ft (11,000sq m). It is shaped with a curved prow at one of its corners, which
Seine Design create floating glass-roofed guinguette in Paris
by Stu Robarts | 13 Nov 2019
Seine Design have created a €5.4m (US$6m, £4.6m) floating guinguette – a small restaurant and dance hall – with glass-panelled sides and a glass roof that give visitors views of its River Seine location. Rosa 2, which is a venue for the Rosa Bonheur chain, replaced an existing floating guinguette that was moored close to the prestigious Pont Alexandre III bridge. From onboard, visitors can see the Eiffel Tower, the
SMA's undulating resort blends with the landscape and provides privacy
by Stu Robarts | 13 Nov 2019
Sordo Madaleno Arquitectos (SMA) have created a branched, undulating design for Chablé's planned Sea of Cortez spa resort that blends with the natural landscape and gives guests both privacy and ocean views. Located on the Baja California Peninsula just north of La Paz in northwest Mexico, the resort will cover an area of 64,900sq m (698,700sq ft). The site is set on the coast between two hills in a sparsely
The Collective goes big and goes global with its two new co-living destinations
by Stu Robarts | 12 Nov 2019
The Collective has opened new co-living destinations in the Long Island City neighbourhood of New York and in London’s Canary Wharf. Its 125-room Long Island City venue is the firm's first in the US and its only one for short (one to 29 night) stays only. The Collective Paper Factory, as it is called, is housed in a 100-year-old building that previously housed a paper goods factory and a radio
Pomeroy Studio plan huge sustainable sports development in Singapore
by Stu Robarts | 12 Nov 2019
Singapore's Pomeroy Studio, Arup and national sporting body Sport Singapore have created a masterplan for an 89ha (220ac) sustainable sports and recreation destination around the site of the existing Singapore Sports Hub. Planned facilities at the Kallang Alive development include a football hub and a tennis centre for both community and international tournaments. Facilities being considered for a youth hub on the site include velodrome, speed climbing and BMX venues.
Peter Pichler's treehouses integrate with nature to help guests do the same
by Stu Robarts | 12 Nov 2019
Peter Pichler Architecture have designed a series of treehouses for a hotel in West Virginia, US, that are closely integrated with nature and will provide guests with an opportunity to relax. The project was conceived to offer a form of slow tourism, giving guests an opportunity to switch off from a more frantic pace of life and immerse themselves in the serenity of nature for a time. The treehouses, which
Onion's reading space gives users a choice of atmospheres
by Stu Robarts | 11 Nov 2019
Thai architects Onion have created a community reading space in Bangkok called Samyan Co-op that offers different types of seating and atmosphere to suit different types of users. The project was commissioned by Golden Land Property Development, who were planning to build a new commercial mall and wanted to give something back to society. Their brief for Onion was to create 500-capacity reading and working space that would be free
BuckleyGrayYeoman to convert former ice factory to mixed-use space
by Stu Robarts | 11 Nov 2019
BuckleyGrayYeoman are to convert a former ice factory, coachworks and power station to house 30,000sq ft (2,800sq m) of restaurant units, retail space and offices adjacent to another of their mixed-use developments. The firm completed its Eccleston Yards mixed-use creative hub project on a derelict and underutilised car park in London, UK, for Grosvenor last year. It comprises a public courtyard where people can sit and a pedestrian mews surrounded
David Chipperfield Architects' West Bund Museum opens to the public
by Stu Robarts | 11 Nov 2019
Shanghai's West Bund Museum, designed by David Chipperfield Architects, has opened to the public as part of the West Bund Masterplan that will introduce a new 9sq km (3.5sq mi) cultural district on former industrial land. The 22,000sq ft (2,000sq m) facility, established as a partnership between Centre Pompidou Paris and the publicly-owned West Bund Group, sits on the north bank of the Huangpu River and is located in a
Sidewalk Labs and Waterfront Toronto's smart city plan takes shape
by Stu Robarts | 11 Nov 2019
Google's sister company Sidewalk Labs has reached a conditional agreement with Waterfront Toronto for the planned smart neighbourhood development on the city's eastern waterfront. Sidewalk Labs was set up by Alphabet to reimagine how cities can approach the challenges of urban growth using technology and innovative planning. In 2017, it was announced that the company's first real-world project would be in Toronto. After 18 months of research and consultation, Sidewalk
Tokyo 2020 gymnastics venue completed
by Tom Walker | 11 Nov 2019
Construction work has been competed on the Ariake Gymnastics Centre, one of the main venues of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The 12,000-capacity arena will host artistic, rhythmic and trampoline gymnastics events during the Games, as well as being used for boccia during the Paralympic Games. Created by a design team including architects Nikken Sekkei, the venue will look to showcase "true Japanese craftsmanship" and "embody Japan's woodworking
Richard Hall Architect fills heritage-listed gasometer frame with art gallery
by Stu Robarts | 08 Nov 2019
Richard Hall Architect has designed a new art gallery for the Australian city of Launceston in the heritage-listed circular shell of an old gasometer. The DADA gallery will house the art of a private collector so that the public can enjoy it as well. The site is the last remaining gasometer frame in the city and is in a high-profile position close to the city's historic Albert Hall and opposite
JTP's Ecopolis eco-district approaches construction in Kazan
by Stu Robarts | 08 Nov 2019
Construction work is due to begin on the 760 ha (1,878ac) JTP -designed "Ecopolis" eco-district in Kazan, Russia, which is aimed at promoting a lifestyle of health and wellbeing. Sited on a former artillery base in the city's Kirov district, the masterplan takes advantage of its forest setting and proximity to the River Volga. It is laid out as a landscaped ring with a series of clustered developments around which
Best Practice Architecture's design touches create a progressive gym
by Stu Robarts | 08 Nov 2019
Seattle-based studio Best Practice Architecture has created a new gym with innovative design touches and thoughtful use of materials and colour. The 7,750sq ft (720m) Workout gym is housed in several former retail units at Seattle's Columbia Center. A full-length glazed façade unites the spaces and provides views into the venue, giving a sense of approachability. The gym features large, open work-out areas with highly-specified equipment, a studio for classes,
Cansult Maunsell-designed Clymb attraction, with biggest climbing wall in the world, will open in Abu Dhabi this month
by Andy Knaggs | 08 Nov 2019
Clymb Abu Dhabi, a climbing and sky diving attraction on Abu Dhabi's Yas Island, is to open on 29 November 2019, according to owner Miral. The building was designed by Cansult Maunsell, an operating company based in Dubai and part of global consulting firm Aecom. The US$100m (€89.8m, £77.3m) project will deliver the world's tallest indoor climbing wall at 140ft (43 metres) tall, and its widest skydiving flight chamber, spanning
Dorte Mandrup's whale observatory will breach from the rugged Arctic landscape
by Stu Robarts | 08 Nov 2019
Dorte Mandrup and her studio have won a competition to design an attraction dedicated to whales that will rise organically out of the ground and merge with the surrounding landscape. Called The Whale, it will be located 300km (186mi) north of the Arctic Circle on the northernmost part of Andøya island in Andenes, Norway. The area is regarded as one of the best places in the world for whale-watching and
Allies and Morrison design green and urban lakefront neighbourhood in Toronto
by Stu Robarts | 07 Nov 2019
Allies and Morrison has designed the masterplan for a new urban lakefront neighbourhood in Toronto with areas with greenery and water, public spaces and mixed-use promenades. The Humber Bay Shores site is located to the west of Toronto city centre and the Humber River and is intended to form part of a new high-density centre in the city. Currently empty, the triangular, 11.5ha (28ac) site is positioned between one of
OMA's Kube pins a mixed-use public space outside K11 Musea
by Stu Robarts | 07 Nov 2019
A mixed-use public space comprising a golden cube-shaped kiosk and a giant floating balloon, designed by David Gianotten and Rem Koolhaas of OMA, has been unveiled outside Hong Kong's recently opened K11 Musea. Kube is at once a place to buy coffee, a place to sit and a place to hold events. The anodised aluminium kiosk, which changes colours as the light changes, opens up as a small retail unit.
Boutique hotel in former button and ribbon factory channels old New York
by Stu Robarts | 07 Nov 2019
New York-based real estate investors Bridgeton have converted a former button and ribbon factory in Tribeca into a boutique hotel that harnesses the building's Gilded Age architecture to recall the city's past. Although responsible for the overall design of the Walker Hotel Tribeca, Bridgeton brought in a number of specialists to collaborate on elements like its restaurant and its cocktail bar. Constructed in 1899, the Renaissance Revival style building stretches
Effekt's stormwater plan reconnects town with water and green spaces
by Stu Robarts | 07 Nov 2019
Copenhagen-based studio Effekt has used the need for a climate adaptation plan by a town in Southern Jutland, Denmark, as an opportunity to enhance its identity, public spaces and connection to nature. Tønder had been in need of a plan to manage frequent stormwaters due to its coastal location. Effekt recognised that this could be achieved by remodelling and reorganising public spaces in a way that would improve connections between
Wolfgang Tschapeller suspends inverted ziggurat of 100,000 books in vast library space
by Stu Robarts | 06 Nov 2019
Wolfgang Tschapeller has suspended four levels of library stacks containing around 100,000 volumes in an inverted ziggurat at the Unversity of Cornell 's Mui Ho Fine Arts Library. Tschapeller's goal was to create "a 21st-century interpretation of the grand reading rooms associated with great research collections." To achieve this, he removed the third floor of the Rand Hall building, in which the library is housed, to create a double-height space
Stock-a-Studio's installation reimagines the gym as temporary, reconfigurable and low-budget
by Stu Robarts | 06 Nov 2019
A multidisciplinary design studio called Stock-a-Studio has created a temporary gym in a shopfront that can be easily assembled, disassembled, customised and reassembled using a variety of low budget materials. The installation, called [ a kit of these some parts ] x budget gym ], is aimed at encouraging assembly rather than construction and refinishing rather than remanufacturing. Hosted at LA's Materials & Applications – a non-profit organisation that seeks
Lead8 eco-living masterplan to transform Kuala Lumpur township
by Stu Robarts | 06 Nov 2019
Design studio Lead8 has unveiled a masterplan for Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, that would see one of the city's earliest townships transformed into an eco-living destination. Created for UEM Sunrise and Melati Ehsan Group, the Kiara Bay development would cover 73ac (30ha) and is aimed at creating a balance between the city, leisure and nature. There are three planned areas – the Waters, the Walk and the Village – which are
Doone Silver Kerr's 20-room shipping container hotel makes efficient use of space
by Stu Robarts | 06 Nov 2019
Doone Silver Kerr (DSK) have used 25 shipping containers, each 30ft (9m) in length, to create a 20-room aparthotel with design elements that optimise the use of space. Designed for Stow Projects and Ciel Capital, the Stow-Away hotel comprises five levels each made up of five containers. A reception area and restaurant are housed on the ground floor, with the guest rooms making up the upper four floors. In order
Copenhagen Zoo's giant pandas have settled into their BIG-designed enclosure
by Stu Robarts | 05 Nov 2019
Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) have released images of Copenhagen Zoo's giant pandas settling into its completed yin-yang-shaped enclosure. Construction of the Panda House began in 2017 and earlier this year it became home to Mao Sun and Xing Er, who are being loaned from China to Denmark. BIG designed the 2,450sq m (26,400sq ft) enclosure with the wellbeing of the pandas and with the potential for their mating in mind.
Work begins on Paris 2024 Olympic Village, master-planned by Dominique Perrault
by Tom Walker | 05 Nov 2019
Construction work has begun on the Athletes Village for the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The 51-hectare site in the Seinte-Saint-Denis district in north Paris will accommodate up to 17,000 athletes and team officials during the Games. The Village will be built close to the Olympic Stadium and the Aquatics Centre – two venues in which an estimated 30 per cent of the total number of athletes will compete.
Archstudio revitalise gallery with metal façade and disrupted routes
by Stu Robarts | 05 Nov 2019
Chinese architects Archstudio have transformed a gallery in Beijing from one that is uninspiring to look at and walk around to being visually eye-catching and interesting to tour. The Ioma art centre was housed in a functional but unremarkable building and was lacking in space for certain uses. In addition to extending the building upwards and along the street, Archstudio added a new façade to capture the imagination of visitors
Aecom's San Francisco waterfront park incorporates colours and materials of port heritage
by Stu Robarts | 05 Nov 2019
Aecom are creating a new waterfront public park in San Francisco that will incorporate elements of the site's former life as a port, including its cranes, the slipway and former cribbing and keel blocks. Crane Cove Park is part of the wider regeneration of the Pier 70 shipyard, which was San Francisco's largest shipbuilding facility before it closed down and was turned over to the Port of San Francisco in
Snøhetta's monolithic, organic Arctic visitor centre houses temperature-controlled exhibition vault
by Stu Robarts | 04 Nov 2019
Snøhetta have designed a visitor centre for Arctic preservation storage called The Arc with an exhibition building that is towering and monolithic, but also curved and organic. The facility was commissioned by Arctic Memory AS to showcase content from the Svalbard Global Seed Vault and the Arctic World Archive, as well as to educate visitors and inspire innovative preservation solutions for the world's food and digital resources. Located 78° north
company profile
Try cladmag for free!
Sign up with CLAD to receive our regular ezine, instant news alerts, free digital subscriptions to CLADweek, CLADmag and CLADbook and to request a free sample of the next issue of CLADmag.
sign up
features
features
cladkit product news
The Sequel collection is billed as the 'most waste-efficient and sustainable' on the market
Alusid, a creator of eco-friendly surfaces, has partnered with Parkside to launch the Sequel range, the brand's first collection of
...
The system is designed to enable users to create multifunctional, adaptable pieces, where they are in complete control of the design and function of their furniture
British designer Paul Kelley has created a modular magnetic cube furniture system that enables users to create multifunctional, adaptable pieces,
...
cladkit product news
The seaweed lamps were inspired by Edwards Anker's ethos of incorporating local and organic materials in her designs to give them a sense of place
Nina Edwards Anker, a Brooklyn-based designer and founder of architecture and design practice nea studio, has created a new collection
...
The Tempano trays feature a state-of-the-art design that combines a linear slope with a high drainage rate
Duravit, a Germany-based bathroom fixtures company, has launched Tempano, a series of easy-to-install shower trays for the home. Available in
...
cladkit product news
Cristallo was the last design from acclaimed designer and architect Alessandro Mendini
Design Studio BD Barcelona Design has released Cristallo, a limited-edition cabinet designed by the late architect and designer Alessandro Mendini,
...
The furniture uses plastic from recycled fishing nets
Mater, an ethical design brand based in Denmark, has launched a furniture collection made from plastic reclaimed from the ocean.
...
