eBook The Architecture of the Barnes Foundation: Gallery in a Garden, Garden in a Gallery ePub

Beautiful and thorough

This book is an excellent resource to review / read before a visit to the new Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia. Written by the architects, it provides many insights into the site plan of the new campus, space layout of the buildings and detailed aesthetic considerations both inside and out. Specifically, it details how nature is embraced in the visit experience, how the stone building materials were selected, and the use of and management of light and space. It also points out numerous design nuances that the first-time visitor would never notice at the Barnes, or would not initially know why they are important. And, from personal experience, I can say this extreme attention to detail in all aspects of design and construction is one of the things a visitor will note and enjoy. The campus and buildings are themselves a work of art. Finally, this book also provides a look at the dynamic interplay between architect and client in the completion of such an important, high visibility project. I recommend it!

As an architect I love pretty pictures, but I love process more. This book has both, and it's wonderful.

This book is a fascinating exploration of the architects' vision and process. I just ordered my second copy to give as a gift, following a visit to the Barnes. I responded at length (in the form of a comment) to the review of "Alex" above (the 3-star review) . . . sorry it doesn't show unless you click on "1 Comment" which appears below his review. I felt it would be truly unfortunate if his review discouraged people from going to see the new building which houses the astonishing Barnes Collection (one of my favorite collections of art in the US--or, indeed, anywhere) or from buying this wonderful book. I have no connection with the Barnes Collection--other than that I have loved it since my mother first brought me to see it when I was a child. I have returned many times since. Seeing the new building and reading about the architects' process was a revelation.

Absolute fan of Tod Williams and Billie Tsein's work! I have been to the foundation and it is a fantastic book - glad I bought it!

Excelent, read after visiting the museum,and then visit the museum again

Bought for a gift. We already have a copy.

Architecture is one of my main hobbies: I read books, visit buildings in the US and Europe, and had the pleasure to get two of my projects built.

In my view this is an outstanding book: lucid prose, clear presentation of the architectural problems and solutions, straightforward illustrations. The authors (and architects) describe the planning of a relocated museum, reconstruction of the old gallery rooms in a new building, in a completely different environment, new visitor and museum functions, improved lighting, and new landscaping in plain language, easily understandable, without fuss.

What is even better is that Williams and Tsien did not wreck the Barnes Collection.

The Barnes Collection in Merion was on top of my list of museum favorites: A superb collection of paintings, shown in Barnes' idiosyncratic presentation, interspersed with hardware beyond imagination, and backed by a private park. After every museum visit, we relaxed in the park, strolling and recovering from the effort of experiencing the many masterworks.

Why this jewel of a museum had to be moved to Philadelphia is still incomprehensible to me.

William and Tsien state at the outset that they were not familiar with the Barnes Collection. Swallowing the requirement to recreate the same rooms, with the same arrangements for artworks, in a new location, must have been one of the oddest tasks an architect could face. Understanding the function of the arboretum (a place to come down to earth, after viewing all the masterpieces), and recreating it in an urban setting, is to me a sign of sheer genius. In the new building, the empty great hall with an abstract light source in the ceiling (light court) and the interspersed sections with trees (gallery gardens) manage to meet the visitor's need to relax between phases of intense excitement.

The key to a successful museum project is to allow visitors to view the artwork under the best possible conditions - not getting bumped by other visitors, or having the view of paintings blocked. Lighting is absolutely the most important consideration, and the planning and solutions are presented in a matter-of-fact way. A large central window in the main room was constructed of low-transmission glass. Natural light is brought into the upstairs rooms by clerestories with controllable light flow. Overall Williams and Tsien improved the lighting substantially as compared to the building in Merion.

Interior details are shown in many photographs. Stone facings were imported from Israel, hand-chiseled, and mixed with textiles - I loved the interiors. The same stone, with smooth surfaces, was used on the outside, and seemed so much less attractive to me.

The only objection one might have is that there is no information whatever on the financial aspects of this project. I imagine that the foundation board may have excluded any discussion.

Two caveats:

This is not a coffee table book that makes you shiver with amazement (e.g. Rykvert and Schezen's book on Louis Kahn, Abrams 2001); it is an extremely interesting and useful working document. Highly recommended if you want to deal with architecture in a concrete manner.

The new Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia is not a temple to the architectural deities Williams and Tsien (I was not floored by the looks of the buildings, but liked the water features and the plantings on the Parkway). It is a most successful new museum for the art which Dr. Barnes collected and exhibited in Marion.