Thesis has been on my mind for most of the semester and I think I have narrowed it down to looking at The Vancouver Art Gallery. The gallery is looking to expand since their digs in the former courthouse are starting to become a little cramped and a wee bit damp.
So what does this mean? It means that I'm thinking of designing a new art museum for Vancouver as my thesis. It means I drill my girlfriend who is taking a masters in Museum Studies here at UofT for ideas and ideologies about museums. Architecturally I could design the museum, that I'm not worried about, what I am worried about is my architectural approach to the act of design. Do I think museums are elitist institutions and should be catered to the rich, or are they places of education and centers of cultural heritage?
Do I design for the masses or the patrons, and why?
MOMA, having just undergone a major renovation is becoming a major focus for me. There is lots of material on the expansion of Modern Arts beloved major institution and I've been starting to amass material and approaches. There is much to do and I have no idea where it will take me [probably a trip back to New York and one to Vancouver].
Bernard Tschumi's envisioning of MOMA
Herzog and de Meuron take a look....
Rem Koolhaas and OMA
