canopy art museum
the riverfront gateway
Modern art catches one’s attention from a distance, provoking a sense of curiosity and wonder. The design of this museum seeks to capture that same feeling through the paradoxical nature of steel. Simultaneously, steel is light and tensile yet strong and rigid.
The structural system utilizes an oversized space frame that soars above the art galleries. Its thin, white members transform the rigid structure into a light and airy field of steel. The buoyant structure rises out of the corten steel façade to contrast both the heaviness and lightness of steel. Wonder is provoked as the structure makes the thin, long roof-line appear as though it floats above the museum. On the main north elevation, the façade is lifted up four feet above the ground, partially revealing the interior.
Once inside, visitors are invited to meander through the two galleries. Movable walls tensioned from the space frame grid provide flexibility to the galleries, allowing some areas to be concealed while others remain free and open. The museum creates an enriching experience by providing varying levels of engagement with the building and the art.
project type: academic individual project | location: Elgin, IL | year: 2017
