The Phillips Family

Today Annie and I finished up our vacation with a visit to the new Denver Art Museum. The building has received a lot of attention because it is architect Daniel Libeskind’s first completed project in the U.S. Not my favorite architect, nor in the end my favorite building, but it was definitely worth visiting if not for the art alone (*gasp* visit a museum for the ART?). We took advantage of a special event at the museum today, making admission free.

According to Libeskind, the jumble of angular forms seen from the exterior was inspired by the Rocky Mountains. Though structurally impressive, the enormous cantilevers were lacking in their analogy. His justification may be closer to flashy than true inspiration. The gravity defying outstretch of the building that hovers to the north makes for a dramatic drive down 13th Street, but I wanted to be taken there inside in order to see and make a connection back to the street. Instead, the shape disappears into a dark corner of the ceiling inside, frustratingly denying both view and light in the most dynamic and signature elements of the building.

Though the galleries were non-rectalinear in plan, the layouts were well done such that all pieces could be viewed with little backtracking or wayfinding effort. The atrium and spiraling “canyon” circulation space at the core of the building worked well for touring the museum and were my favorite elements of the design.