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Gehry unveils new AGO design
Globe and Mail Update
World-renowned architect Frank Gehry came home to Toronto to show his latest work Wednesday, unveiling his design for the new Art Gallery of Ontario.
The new gallery, highlighted by a glass and titanium façade that spans more than 180 metres along Dundas Street from McCaul Street to Beverley Street and rises 21 metres above street level, will stand mere steps from Mr. Gehry's childhood home.
"I grew up here. I wanted to create something that reflects Toronto and that embraces the neighbourhood," Mr. Gehry said.
Mr. Gehry, 74, who now lives and works in Santa Monica, Calif., has designed such acclaimed buildings as the Museo Guggenheim in Bilbao, Spain; the Nationale-Nederlanden building in Prague and Disney Hall in Los Angeles.
His new design also includes a 137-metre sculpture gallery that extends along the north side of the building, enabling visitors to see out onto Dundas Street, and passers-by to see into the gallery.
A new tinted titanium and glass-faced four-storey south wing will overlook Grange Park and house a centre for contemporary art. A ribbon-like spiral stairway within Walker Court will bring visitors to the new 3rd and 4th floors of the gallery.
The design also aims to use more natural light throughout the building via a new glass roof over Walker Court and a light-filled walkway around its upper perimeter.
"This is a transformative moment for the AGO," AGO director and CEO Matthew Teitelbaum said. "Frank Gehry has designed a building that at once embraces our past and articulates our vision for the future. Our curatorial and programming teams have worked closely with Gehry to integrate his architectural design with the AGO's vision for a new kind of art museum – a place that creates powerful experiences by bringing art and people together in new and exciting ways."
The overall size of the AGO will be increased by 20 per cent. Space for viewing art will increase by 40 per cent to 123,500 square feet. The Canadian galleries will increase by 121 per cent; the Contemporary galleries by 36 per cent; the European galleries by 65 per cent; and the Photography galleries by 240 per cent.
The redesign and expansion is the centrepiece of Transformation AGO, the museum's $500-million project that also includes the previously announced donation of art and funding by Kenneth Thomson.
Groundbreaking is set for early 2005, and the project will be completed in late 2007.
http://globeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20040128.wghery0128/BNStory/Entertainment
Unfortunately, no pics yet.
Globe and Mail Update
World-renowned architect Frank Gehry came home to Toronto to show his latest work Wednesday, unveiling his design for the new Art Gallery of Ontario.
The new gallery, highlighted by a glass and titanium façade that spans more than 180 metres along Dundas Street from McCaul Street to Beverley Street and rises 21 metres above street level, will stand mere steps from Mr. Gehry's childhood home.
"I grew up here. I wanted to create something that reflects Toronto and that embraces the neighbourhood," Mr. Gehry said.
Mr. Gehry, 74, who now lives and works in Santa Monica, Calif., has designed such acclaimed buildings as the Museo Guggenheim in Bilbao, Spain; the Nationale-Nederlanden building in Prague and Disney Hall in Los Angeles.
His new design also includes a 137-metre sculpture gallery that extends along the north side of the building, enabling visitors to see out onto Dundas Street, and passers-by to see into the gallery.
A new tinted titanium and glass-faced four-storey south wing will overlook Grange Park and house a centre for contemporary art. A ribbon-like spiral stairway within Walker Court will bring visitors to the new 3rd and 4th floors of the gallery.
The design also aims to use more natural light throughout the building via a new glass roof over Walker Court and a light-filled walkway around its upper perimeter.
"This is a transformative moment for the AGO," AGO director and CEO Matthew Teitelbaum said. "Frank Gehry has designed a building that at once embraces our past and articulates our vision for the future. Our curatorial and programming teams have worked closely with Gehry to integrate his architectural design with the AGO's vision for a new kind of art museum – a place that creates powerful experiences by bringing art and people together in new and exciting ways."
The overall size of the AGO will be increased by 20 per cent. Space for viewing art will increase by 40 per cent to 123,500 square feet. The Canadian galleries will increase by 121 per cent; the Contemporary galleries by 36 per cent; the European galleries by 65 per cent; and the Photography galleries by 240 per cent.
The redesign and expansion is the centrepiece of Transformation AGO, the museum's $500-million project that also includes the previously announced donation of art and funding by Kenneth Thomson.
Groundbreaking is set for early 2005, and the project will be completed in late 2007.
http://globeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20040128.wghery0128/BNStory/Entertainment
Unfortunately, no pics yet.
