© Jesse Ganes
With
a collection focused largely on American art and ceramics, the Everson
Museum exists as a structure that is more than just a vault for art.
Designed in 1968 by
I.M. Pei, the structure sought to
simultaneously challenge the traditional museum typology through its
innovative form while also existing as an object of modern art in its
own right. Pei conceived the Everson as an open structure with access to
its interior from all of its exposed sides.
© Jesse Ganes
The
building is primarily comprised of four opaque concrete volumes that
surround an open atrium that visitors move through to access the
galleries. A library/lounge and an auditorium exist as separate volumes
that are accessed through the atrium. Each volume contains galleries of
differing size and height that when viewed from outside gives added
hierarchy to the overall assemblage of forms that makeup the museum. A
cantilevered second story adds further differentiation to the building
from the surrounding landscape.
© Ancatdubh43
Visitors
and natural light enter the building through the gaps between the
building’s main volumes. Just as one can interact with all sides of
sculpture, the Everson acts as a singular form on the pedestal of the
open plaza that surrounds it. The sculptural ambition of the building is
also evident in the way in which the concrete is finished with a
striated chiseled look. It appears as if the building was crafted in a
similar way to that of some of the artifacts that inhabit it.
© Daquella Manera
In
contrast to the way in which Pei blurred the entry sequence into the
building, the way in which the second floor galleries is accessed is
fairly prescribed. A grand sculptural concrete spiral stair takes the
building’s visitors up to a second level of galleries that overlooks the
building’s central atrium.
© Daquella Manera
Concrete
bridges connect the independent volumes weaving visitors from gallery
to gallery through the main open atrium. This promenade serves to
further objectify each gallery, adding to the sculptural ambitions of
the building.
© Jesse Ganes
The
building’s surrounding plaza contains various outdoor sculptures. A
large pool of water is carved into the ground. This outdoor zone
formally relates in language and scale to the building to the west.
Video art, one its collection’s focuses has been projected on the
Everson’s facades animating its concrete volumes.
Architects:
I.M. Pei Location:
Syracuse, New York, United States Project Year:
1968 References:
Wikipedia, Everson Photographs:
Jesse Ganes, Flickr User: Daquella Manera, Wikimedia User: Ancatdubh43
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