Frank Gehry’s transformation of the Philadelphia Museum of Art may only be revealed in 2020, but the first elements of Gehry’s master plan have been unveiled in the form of Stir, the museum’s new restaurant that is also the only Gehry-designed fine dining establishment on the American East Coast.
The 76-seat restaurant exudes an intimate and inviting ambience with seating and tables designed by Gehry partners, Douglas Fir clad walls, red oak seating and a dramatically sculpted ceiling feature shaped in Douglas Fir that flows outward above the main dining room, exhibiting Gehry’s fluid stylistic signature. Frosted glass walls lends a clean modernist feel while maintaining a cloistered, intimate atmosphere, while onyx-topped tables and leather upholstered dining chairs and booths add warmth. Stir serves a seasonal menu of elevated comforts made from locally sourced produce by executive chef Mark Tropea.
Neighbouring Stir is the museum’s renovated cafeteria, which accommodates 160. Extended to match the width of the museum building, the enlarged cafeteria boasts idyllic views of the East Terrace and its garden on one side, and the Schuykill River and West Philadelphia on the other. An espresso bar is also scheduled to open in early 2019 to accompany the new North Entrance, which makes the museum’s storied Vaulted Walkway accessible to the public once more.
Gehry’s renovation of the museum’s historic 1928 building will add around 67,000 square feet of new public space and an additional 23,000 square feet of gallery space. Collectively known as The Core Project, the ambitious master plan combines infrastructural improvements with a reorganisation of the circulation through the heart of the building to massively improve the experience visiting the museum.
INFORMATION
ADDRESS
600 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy
-
Buccellati’s one-of-a-kind jewelled evening bags draw on a rich design historyThe high jewellery house revisits intricate velvet clutch bag designs, originally created by Mario Buccellati in the 1920s and 1930s
-
A colossal ‘ship’ in Shanghai honours Louis Vuitton’s travel legacyLouis Vuitton’s The Louis is an OMA-designed hub combining retail, culture and dining in the heart of Nanjing West Road
-
Los Angeles’ best bars for craft cocktails and A-list designFrom glamorous old Hollywood haunts to trend-setting neighbourhood hangouts, these hotspots serve excellent drinks in an atmosphere unlike anywhere else
-
Los Angeles’ best bars for craft cocktails and A-list design
From glamorous old Hollywood haunts to trend-setting neighbourhood hangouts, these hotspots serve excellent drinks in an atmosphere unlike anywhere else
-
A local architect’s guide to Joshua TreeMirtilla Alliata di Montereale shares her favourite things to do to slow down, look closely, and discover Joshua Tree through a more intentional lens
-
Meet artist Michael McGregor, using hotel stationery as his canvasMichael McGregor unveils an exclusive postcard set made with notepads from The Luxury Collection properties in Minneapolis, San Francisco and Savannah
-
Home is where Beethoven Market is – a joyful Italian restaurant in LA’s Mar VistaIn Mar Vista, a historic space is reborn as a modern-day gathering spot, an Italian-infused restaurant where rotisserie chicken, handmade pasta and tableside tiramisu welcome you like family
-
Aman New York unveils exclusive US Open-themed experienceAman’s ‘Season of Champions’ pairs Grand Slam action with personalised recovery and performance treatments designed by Novak Djokovic and Maria Sharapova
-
Caribbean cool meets mid-century glamour at this new LA hotspotFrom golden mirrored chambers to jerk-spiced tomahawk steaks, Lucia reimagines Afro-Caribbean dining and design
-
Classic New York restaurants for delicious food and inspired designFrom Michelin-starred fine dining to reimagined retro diners, these are the most emblematic (and easy-on-the-eye) places to eat in the Big Apple
-
Inside Hotel Chelsea’s secret basement sushi restaurantTeruko, a new Japanese restaurant and sushi bar in Hotel Chelsea, marks the final jewel in the hotel’s years-long transformation
