2 Columbus Circle (on the right), day view (Photo: New York Times)

The 1964 Gallery of Modern Art at 2 Columbus Circle is being transformed into a new space for the Museum of Arts and Design (MAD). Almost everything about the building has changed, but the original “lollipop” columns persist. The New York Times has put an interactive feature online, providing an animated overview of the building’s redesign. Moreover, on the MAD-website you can watch a video of the construction works.

Museum of Arts and Design (MAD) Floor plan: new vs. old situation (Photo: New York Times)

(Photo: Courtesy of Renzo Piano Building Workshop and Cooper, Robertson & Partners)

The New York Times is very positive about Renzo Piano’s computer renderings for the future downtown annex of the Whitney Museum: “The bold form expresses a level of experimental courage that he hasn’t shown in years. This is a building that could revive the Whitney, and inject welcome creative energy into the city’s cultural life.”

The architect seems to be very busy these days. After the opening of the LACMA earlier this year and the expected completion of the California Academy of Sciences this fall, the Witney Museum is only one of many large museum projects by the Italian maestro. On Tate Modern’s website you can hear and watch him talk about another highlight in his carreer, the 52-storey glass skyscraper housing the new headquarters of The New York Times.

Read more (New York Times, May 1 2008)
Go to website Whitney Museum of American Art