Art Gallery on a Hill
Spring 2016 / Architectural Design II / Mo Zell
The program for this project was a small, multi-purpose art gallery on a hillside in Milwaukee. The design of the art gallery considers how the form of the gallery effects how artwork is perceived by visitors. The gallery is comprised of two large, open areas creating a “blank space” for the art work. This allows the gallery itself to fade from focus, allowing the artwork to have the most impact and meaning for visitors. The connection to the urban landscape in which the gallery is situated factored into the design.
The design was inspired by how the view of the Milwaukee skyline changes as the viewer moves down the steeply sloped site. The ends of the gallery are capped with large transparent surfaces allowing the view of the city to operate as an ever-changing art piece. Although the design privileges the view outward, it also acknowledges that the city is looking back
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