Philadelphia, USA
Article by Sharon McHugh
Herzog & de Meuron’s designs have been unveiled for a striking new art space in Philadelphia created in collaboration with the Dutch landscape architect Piet Oudolf for the Calder Foundation, dedicated to the work of Alexander Calder, the 20th-century American Artist who revolutionized modern sculpture with his large-scale mobiles and stabiles that captured the public’s imagination.
To be located on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, where it will join a collection of impressive arts facilities, including the Rodin Museum and the Barnes Foundation, Calder Gardens will feature an 18,000-square-foot, two-story gallery building set amid a meadow of native and flowering species that will change with the seasons.
Architect Jacques Herzog expressed that the design grew from an open-ended process rather than a finished concept.
“We were looking for space to present Calder’s work in new and unprecedented ways.”
What evolved, is an understated, elegant building discretely nestled in the landscape.
The building will be sheathed in a softly reflective metal cladding that will mirror the surrounding nature and merge it with the setting.
Much of the building’s volume will be suppressed in the ground, forming a series of different galleries, niches, and gardens.
Large windows will bathe the interior spaces with natural light and frame views of Calder’s work in a constantly changing landscape.
“Our intention for Calder Gardens is not only to create the ideal environment for the public to encounter my grandfather’s work but also to elevate personal contemplation and reflection,” says Alexander S. C. Rower, President of the Calder Foundation.
“For viewers who open themselves up to the possibilities of his mobiles and stabiles, the unexpected takes root.”
“My hope is that people will take the time to stand still and think here to fully experience these elements together and have an emotional reaction that stays with them long after their visit. It’s not about what you see but what you sense,” says landscape designer Piet Oudolf.
Calder Gardens is slated to open in 2024. The $70M project will feature a rotating selection of masterworks sourced from private and public collections.
Project: Calder Gardens
Architects: Herzog & de Meuron
Landscape Architect: Piet Oudolf
Client: Calder Foundation, New York
Images: Herzog & de Meuron
