IMPORTANT NOTICE: TODAY’S LECTURE (TUESDAY NOVEMBER 27TH) HAS BEEN CANCELED.

The Design DNA of the Modern Museum
Michael Ambrose, AIA associate clinical professor and associate director, School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation, University of Maryland, College Park

Michael Ambrose returns to ASG to discuss the historical trajectory of museum design and select contemporary examples within the field of museum design. From Shinkel’s Altes Museum in the 1820’s to the contemporary Guggenheims and beyond, architects explore the avant-garde of spatial, technical and aesthetic design thinking in pursuit of the evolution of the museum typology. Creativity and curiosity come together in the historical morphology of architectural form and thought through visual thinking and visual making in the design of the contemporary museum.  The indulgence of “what if…” and “what could be…” are as fundamental as the historical imperatives of museums, collections, and exhibitions. Architectural conceptualization and problematization in the design of the modern museum trace their roots to a common set of design principles that are shared and evolve with each subsequent museum design. From Zaha Hadid’s Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Seoul, Korea, to the new Bildmuseet in Umeå, northern Sweden by Henning Larsen Architects, today’s museum architecture continues to look backward and forward simultaneously to challenge and delight, frustrate and reward patrons and publics the world over. This talk will explore historical models and burgeoning trends while introducing the works of a select group of architects and contemporary museum designs to illustrate these concepts.

 $15 door fee for guests and subscribers