The technology of architecture is quickly evolving, and so too are the tastes and aesthetic desires of architects. Architecture presents a way for an individual to interact with a space, and an art museum in particular has to play a very specific role: it has to house fine art, of course, but it also has to be a functional, aesthetically pleasing space. The Perez Art Museum Miami is one of the most spectacular museums in the City of Miami—not only because of the art it contains, but because of the architecture of the building itself. It is a contemporary museum is strategically paved in the Downtown Miami. The current building is quite new; it was finished only in 2013. However, the museum and associated foundation have been in existence since 1984. It is spectacular for both the art lovers and architects; nonetheless, its design is quite captivating. The new building was designed by Herzog and De Meuron. The design and restructuring of a new museum building is a manifestation that integrates traditional architecture into the modern context. Thus, a blend between traditional and modern architectural design gives a stylistic captivation for two distinct periods of time.
The first impression of the Perez Art Museum is that the building is somehow delicate. The front of the structure is all lacy latticework and delicate greenery; although it is a low-slung building, it is still noticeable and imposing against the backdrop of the Miami seascape. The greenery plays an important role in the way the viewer sees the building upon approach; the hanging gardens seem almost theatrical in their execution, and they are one of the most important defining features of the façade of the space. Although museums are traditionally austere—particularly modern art museums—the external areas that the visitor experiences are generally welcoming and very alluring in their design. They draw the visitor in, and part of the draw is the greenery that is present at the façade of the structure.
However, there are several other things that make the Museum spectacular, in fact, the building easily marries with its surroundings. A visit to the museum gives one a splendid view of the architectural works the building is made of. Great architects have described the building as a building that became instrumental to its surrounding. The architectural concepts were most likely drawn from the environment in which the building exists. The magnificence of the design is what makes it stands out of the rest; in the whole neighborhood of Downtown Miami. The wooden slats that line the roof are an important addition to the architecture of the building as a whole. Because the building sits on the waterfront, the architects clearly wanted to create a building that would engage with both the city and the waterfront. Rather than crafting a building with massive windows that overlook the water, the architects chose a spacious, open patio design with recessed windows. The shaded canopy allows for an interactive use of the patio area; the visitor feels at once engaged with the seascape and with the city because of the proximity that the visitor has to both. The high ceilings both inside the atrium and outside on the patio allow the visitor to feel as though there is space to move and engage with the environment even when the patio and atrium become quite crowded.
The recessed windows are also important both internally and externally in terms of visitor experience. Internally, they allow a lot of light: this is quite practical for an art museum, as it allows the visitors’ eyes to properly see and appreciate the art. However, the inside is also painted a bright white, which makes the areas seem more spacious and much larger. The flow of the building is also complex, and it is easy to become lost in thought wandering the exhibits. This is excellent for an art museum, as the natural ebb and flow of the museum is such that backtracking through rooms that have already been seen is minimized.
The Museum provides both comfortable and serene public arena for everyone. The primary function of a museum is to provide a conducive environment for the public; these are some of the functions that the Perez Art Museum Miami offers to both the art lovers and the general public. In fact, the museum has been termed as an extension of the park; the museum offers what architects have termed as gradual transitions from the outside to the inside, one can hardly notice a change from the outside and the inside environment. Just the same way its warm outside, it’s also warm inside the museum, in short, it’s cool or warm, humid or dry, just as the outside; no big disparity. This is yet another positive attribute of this museum with regards to design principles and its ability to give the necessary ambience it deserves. Both inside and outside, the architects have tried to create a balance of vertical and horizontal lines. Sometimes these lines meet and make a latticework pattern; however, from the façade to the recessed lighting, the contrast of lines—vertical and horizontal—lead the visitor through the building, giving them a rich visual and spatial experience throughout.
The Perez Art Museum Miami still remains a spectacular building in the Downtown Miami due to its distinct architectural designs. The uniqueness of the building is what earns it the reputation. The conditions it offers for the art lovers is quite unique, several architectural designs have in the past failed to comfortably handle the huge population of the art lovers. The Perez Art Museum is able to accommodate this huge capacity of occupants due to its design portfolio, and due to the fact that the building is centralized to host such level of occupancy. This building is, at its heart, a community space. It is a space in which the community can gather for all manner of purposes; it is also a building that is working hard to make the environment more enjoyable and cleaner. Aside from being a focal point for the waterfront, this building is the appropriate interactive space for a modern art building: modern art does tend to be more interactive at times than classical art, after all. The building reflects a new trend in architecture, in which the visitor or user of a space can interact more fully and truly engage with the environment of the space.
References
"Perez Art Museum / Herzog & De Meuron". 2014. Archdaily. http://www.archdaily.com/493736/perez-art-museum-herzog-and-de-meuron.
"Pérez Art Museum Miami". 2016. Herzog & De Meuron. https://www.herzogdemeuron.com/index/projects/complete-works/301-325/306-perez-art-museum-miami.html.
"Pérez Art Museum Miami: PAMM". 2016. Pamm.Org. http://www.pamm.org/about/building.
Kiser, Kirsten. 2013. "Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM) - Herzog & De Meuron". Arcspace.Com. http://www.arcspace.com/features/herzog--de-meuron/perez-art-museum-miami-pamm/.
Webb, Michael. 2014. "Miami Virtue: Pérez Art Museum In Miami By Herzog & De Meuron".Architectural Review. http://www.architectural-review.com/today/miami-virtue-prez-art-museum-in-miami-by-herzog-and-de-meuron/8663262.fullarticle.
