Parrish Art Museum by Herzog & de Meuron, New York

One gallery wall of the new Herzog & de Meuron-designed Parrish Art Museum, which opened Saturday in Water Mill - on New York's Long Island - is dominated by a recently acquired painting by Ross Bleckner, who lives just down the road in Sagaponack. The 1990 canvas, a mesmerising constellation of dots in cloudy hues that echo the museum's palette of bright white and bruised concrete, is 'Architecture of the Sky,' a title that could also describe the building in which in now hangs.
'You have the feeling that the sky here is somehow bigger than it is elsewhere,' says Ascan Mergenthaler, the Herzog & de Meuron senior partner who was in charge of the $26.2 million Parrish project. 'It's because of the special landscape and light that so many artists have their studios in this place.'
The 34,400-sq-ft museum is essentially a double-barrelled, extruded version of the classic house-shaped artist's studio, with north-facing skylights that governed the placement of the building - at a jaunty angle on the site of a former tree nursery.
Rooted in vernacular architecture and local construction methods and surrounded by native plants, the 115-year-old museum's new home comes with a twist: concrete walls, for which the architects scouted local basements to find suitably rugged examples.
'The solidity of this building was important to us, because everything in America is wood-framed and clad somehow, and kind of feels hollow,' notes Mergenthaler. Adding a human scale to the long expanses of concrete is a continuous bench along the bottom, sure to become a popular perch for socialising.
Inside, the single-floor museum is wonderfully simple, with public functions (such as reception, store, and café) to the west, administrative offices and art handling to the east, and the galleries clustered in the middle, arrayed in two parallel bars.
Aiding visitors' intuitive navigation of the space from the moment they walk through the blackened wood doors is the work of Konstantin Grcic, whose furnishings and Serge Mouille-meets-Alexander Calder light fixtures appear to float amidst the pale paneling of reclaimed pine.
'It is a simple building, and it should feel very straightforward and natural,' says Grcic. 'That's what we tried to do with the furniture. We tried to find a very simple grammar for it.'
The café and adjacent outdoor terrace are stocked with chairs designed by Grcic especially for the museum and produced by Emeco, which will officially launch the 'Parrish Chair' at Salone Del Mobile 2013 in Milan. The chair was designed to take up a minimum of space. 'It's almost like the drawing of a chair,' adds Grcic, 'just the line, the tube, and the seat.'
Taking centre stage is, of course, the art. With triple the exhibition space of the previous museum, the new Parrish showcases not only temporary exhibitions, such as the inaugural show exploring the role of paper in the art-making process of Malcolm Morley, but also the first-ever installation of works from the permanent collection, including adjoining galleries devoted to William Merritt Chase and Fairfield Porter.
All of the galleries are illuminated by daylight that shifts gradually throughout the day and changes with the seasons. Fluorescents take over at dusk. 'This allows us to experience the artwork in exactly the way in which it was made,' says Parrish Museum director Terrie Sultan. 'Light is key to the creative legacy of the East End of Long Island, which is what we celebrate.'
Opened on Saturday in Water Mill, on New York's Long Island, the museum was designed by Herzog & de Meuron.
'It's because of the special landscape and light that so many artists have their studios in this place', says Ascan Mergenthaler, the Herzog & de Meuron senior partner who was in charge of the $26.2 million Parrish project.
Inside, the single-floor museum is wonderfully simple, with public functions (such as reception, store, and café) to the west, administrative offices and art handling to the east.
Aiding visitors' intuitive navigation of the space is the work of Konstantin Grcic, whose furnishings and Serge Mouille-meets-Alexander Calder light fixtures appear to float amidst the pale paneling of reclaimed pine.
Galleries are clustered in the middle, arrayed in two parallel bars.
The 115-year-old museum's new home is rooted in vernacular architecture and local construction methods and surrounded by native plants
The café and adjacent outdoor terrace are stocked with chairs designed by Grcic especially for the museum and produced by Emeco, who will officially launch the 'Parrish Chair' at Salone Del Mobile 2013 in Milan
North-facing skylights governed the placement of the building - at a jaunty angle on the site of a former tree nursery.
Ross Bleckner's painting 'Architecture of the Sky' - a mesmerising constellation of dots in cloudy hues that echo the museum's palette of bright white and bruised concrete - is a title that could also describe the building in which in now hangs.
Taking centre stage is, of course, the art, with three times the exhibition space of the previous museum. Pictured, far right, is 'Tambourinefrappe' by John Chamberlain, 2010.
In addition to a first-ever installation of works from the permanent collection, the new Parrish showcases temporary exhibitions, such as the inaugural show exploring the role of paper in the art-making process of Malcolm Morley (pictured)
An installation view of some of the recent recent acquisitions at Parrish Art Museum.
The new space comes with a twist: concrete walls, for which the architects scouted local basements to find suitably rugged examples.
All of the galleries are illuminated by daylight that shifts gradually throughout the day and changes with the seasons, but fluorescents take over at dusk.
'This allows us to experience the artwork in exactly the way in which it was made,' says Parrish Museum director Terrie Sultan. 'Light is key to the creative legacy of the East End of Long Island.'
ADDRESS
279 Montauk Highway
Water Mill
NY 11976
-
For London Gallery Weekend 2023, the mood is hardcore
With London Gallery Weekend 2023 almost upon us (2 – 4 June), here’s our list of must-see art exhibitions
By Harriet Lloyd-Smith • Published
-
Birkenstock celebrates its most memorable styles with colourful capsule (and matching socks)
Birkenstock marks the 40th, 50th and 60th anniversaries of the Gizeh, Arizona and Madrid sandals, respectively, with limited-edition versions
By Jack Moss • Published
-
Zara Home and Vincent Van Duysen’s second collection is a hymn to conviviality
Zara Home+ by Vincent Van Duysen Collection 02 is the second chapter of the sophisticated collaboration and is focused on dining, featuring furniture, tableware and accessories
By Rosa Bertoli • Published
-
This Shelter Island house is designed as a ‘modern cabin’
Shelter Island house by Koning Eizenberg is designed with a ‘modern cabin’ approach and aesthetic, keeping the owners close to nature
By Ellie Stathaki • Published
-
Rafael de Cárdenas Scholarship at RISD supports access and equity in education
The new Rafael de Cárdenas Scholarship at RISD offers support for students at the school’s Architecture or Apparel departments; we catch up with the architect to find out more
By Ellie Stathaki • Published
-
Texan family house foregrounds sports cars, secret spaces and fantastic finishes
Smitharc has shaped a formidable Texan family house in suburban Dallas, using courtyards and setbacks to create a series of intimate spaces within a substantial plot
By Jonathan Bell • Published
-
Compact Mount Washington house is designed for maximum impact
A Mount Washington house by Anonymous in Los Angeles makes the most of its views, steep site and small size
By Ellie Stathaki • Published
-
Roberts Projects turns historic car dealership into characterful LA art space
Roberts Projects by Johnston Marklee sees the gallery launch its new home in Mid-Wilshire, Los Angeles
By Ellie Stathaki • Published
-
Studio Gang’s Richard Gilder Center brings organic tactility to New York City
The Richard Gilder Center for Science, Education and Innovation by Studio Gang marks a new era for New York City’s iconic American Museum of Natural History
By Pei-Ru Keh • Published
-
The Museum of Amazonian Science offers global hope and sustainability
An environmentalist’s ambitious project includes the Museum of Amazonian Science in Brazil and fulfils his vision of powering up the local bioeconomy and saving humanity
By Scott Mitchem • Published
-
Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts launches its undulating Studio Gang design
Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts by Studio Gang opens in Little Rock, USA, blending new construction and renovation
By Ellie Stathaki • Published