‘BEAUTIFUL AND BRILLIANT’ NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM ADDITION WINS LANDMARKS APPROVAL
A rendering of the center in the winter.
The American Museum of Natural History won approval from the Landmarks Preservation Commission for its proposed Richard Gilder Center for Science, Education and Innovation on Tuesday, according to Curbed. The commission gushed over the building, designed by Chicago-based Studio Gang.
“The essence of this great institution is excellent architecture of its time along the way,” LPC Commissioner Frederick Bland said on Tuesday, motioning to the Rose Center, completed in 2000, “That’s what we’re seeing here today; a beautiful and brilliant example of a contemporary expression of a meaningful building.”
The museum will demolish three buildings, including the Weston Pavilion, to make way for the new center, which will take up about one-quarter acre of parkland in the surrounding Teddy Roosevelt Park.
The museum’s footprint, before and after.
Not everyone was smitten with the architecture, however. A spokesperson for the Historic Districts Council said “some fine-tuning could help the building fit in even better.”
The museum will still need to go through an environmental review.
Read more about the meeting at Curbed and check out our interview with the architect from last year.
can the remaining trees be landmarked or something
or does that only apply to Man’s work?
I still prefer the trees and greenery.
Moi aussi– They are more beautiful and brilliant than that building.
So sad that the magnificent and healthy oak trees in front of the Weston Pavilion will be chopped down– They must be at least 80 years old.
Ironic that the one oak and one elm spared from the chopping block after community opposition have a prominent place in the foreground of the rendering above. The mature trees and their leafy canopy are the true treasures of TR Park and should be preserved.
It looks pretty stunning to me–Did I miss the name of the architect?
The commission gushed over the building, designed by Chicago-based Studio Gang.
Looks great! Looking forward to when it opens.
Amazing design and a welcome addition to our neighborhood. This will be a world-class educational facility and I think TR would be proud.
Looks like nuclear winter. Cutting down these magnificent trees , reducing green space and constructing an edifice that adds 2 million metric tons of pollution per year, are environmental crimes. Who shall be held accountable?