{"id":156576,"date":"2023-04-27T01:13:40","date_gmt":"2023-04-27T01:13:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/culture.org\/?p=156576"},"modified":"2023-04-28T01:19:49","modified_gmt":"2023-04-28T01:19:49","slug":"natural-history-museums-gilder-center-an-architectural-marvel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/culture.org\/art-and-culture\/natural-history-museums-gilder-center-an-architectural-marvel\/","title":{"rendered":"Natural History Museum&#8217;s Gilder Center: An Architectural Marvel"},"content":{"rendered":"           <!--  <script type=\"text\/javascript\">\r\n                jQuery(document).ready(function() {\r\n                    jQuery(\".key-accordion-item .key-menu\").on(\"click\", function() {\r\n                        if (jQuery(this).parent().hasClass(\"active\")) {\r\n                            jQuery(this).next().slideUp();\r\n                            jQuery(this).parent().removeClass(\"active\");\r\n                        } else {\r\n                            jQuery(\".key-content\").slideUp();\r\n                            jQuery(\".key-accordion-item\").removeClass(\"active\");\r\n                            jQuery(this).parent().addClass(\"active\");\r\n                            jQuery(this).next().slideDown();\r\n                        }\r\n                    });\r\n                })\r\n            <\/script> -->\r\n\r\n\r\n            <!-- start html -->\r\n\r\n            <div class=\"news-key-takeaway-wapper\">\r\n                                <span style=\"background-color:#4db2ee;\">Key Takeaways<\/span>\r\n                <ul class=\"news-key-nbox\" style=\"border-color:#4db2ee;background-color:rgba(77, 178, 238, 0.1);\">\r\n                                                        <li>The Gilder Center at the Natural History Museum in New York City defies architectural norms, presenting a stunning and unique design that resembles a white-pink granite cliff adorned with cave-like windows.<\/li>\r\n                                                                    <li>Despite facing challenges during its development, such as delays and legal challenges, the finished product has surpassed expectations, offering a generous and gracious green space to the community.<\/li>\r\n                                                                    <li>The Gilder Center combines art and functionality, serving as a versatile space housing customizable galleries, an insectarium, a butterfly conservatory, storage for scientific specimens, classrooms, laboratories, a library, and a theater.<\/li>\r\n                                                                    <li>The building pays homage to the history of the American Museum of Natural History and evokes a sense of wonderment and delight in its visitors.<\/li>\r\n                                                                    <li>The Gilder Center's awe-inspiring architecture and thoughtful design elements make it a fitting tribute to the museum's rich history and an exciting new chapter in its ongoing evolution.<\/li>\r\n                                                <\/ul>\r\n            <\/div>\r\n            \n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The new Gilder Center at the Natural History Museum has defied architectural norms, presenting a breathtaking structure that resembles a white-pink granite cliff adorned with cave-like windows.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The design, created by architect Jeanne Gang and her team, has resulted in a stunning piece of public architecture that brings a sense of wonder and joy to visitors.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Upon entering the Gilder Center, the cliff face transforms into a towering canyon-like atrium that spans an entire city block.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The building&#8217;s captivating design has garnered comparisons to Gaudi&#8217;s curvaceous masterpieces and Saarinen&#8217;s TWA Terminal.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Gilder Center is poised to become an instant favorite among New Yorkers and a major attraction for visitors.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><strong>Overcoming Challenges and Controversy<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Gilder Center faced several hurdles during its development, from delays and budget increases to legal challenges from neighbors concerned about its impact on the park.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In response, the museum engaged landscape architecture firm Reed Hilderbrand to preserve trees and add more seating.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Despite these setbacks, the finished product has surpassed expectations, offering a generous and gracious green space to the community.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Gilder Center project was first announced in 2014 as the Richard Gilder Center for Science, Education, and Innovation.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The initial budget was $325 million, with a planned opening in 2019 to coincide with the museum&#8217;s 150th anniversary.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, due to various factors, including the pandemic, the budget increased to $465 million, and the opening was delayed.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><strong>Combining Art and Functionality<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Gilder Center is not only a visual masterpiece but also serves as a versatile space housing customizable galleries, an insectarium, a butterfly conservatory, storage for scientific specimens, classrooms, laboratories, a library, and a theater.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The building&#8217;s intricate design reflects the interconnectedness of life on earth, incorporating strata of weathered rock and sinuous curves that evoke a sense of natural beauty.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Gilder Center also addresses the need for improved circulation within the museum, which has long been a source of frustration for visitors.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Through intelligent design, the new addition connects previously disconnected parts of the museum, making navigation more intuitive and visitor-focused.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>                        <!-- <div class=\"container-c\"> -->\r\n                        <!-- <div class=\"row justify-content-between\"> -->\r\n                        <!-- <div class=\"col-post-800\"> -->\r\n                        <!-- start html -->\r\n                        <div class=\"blockquote-wapper\">\r\n                            <div>\r\n                                <span class=\"text_quot\">\r\n                                    <p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The initial budget was $325 million, with a planned opening in 2019 to coincide with the museum&#8217;s 150th anniversary.<\/span><\/p>\n                                <\/span>\r\n\r\n                                <div class=\"quot_icon\">\r\n                                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/culture.org\/wp-content\/themes\/culture\/icons\/i_quot.svg\" type=\"image\/svg+xml\">\r\n                                <\/div>\r\n                            <\/div>\r\n\r\n                            <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"quot_tick\" src=\"https:\/\/culture.org\/wp-content\/themes\/culture\/icons\/i_quot_tri.svg\" type=\"image\/svg+xml\">\r\n                        <\/div>\r\n                        <!-- end html -->\r\n                        <!-- <\/div> -->\r\n                        <!-- <\/div> -->\r\n                        <!-- <\/div> -->\r\n                                    <\/h2>\n<h2><strong>A Tribute to the Museum&#8217;s Roots<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Gilder Center pays homage to the history of the American Museum of Natural History, which was born from the ashes of P.T. Barnum&#8217;s American Museum in Lower Manhattan.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Natural History Museum retained the spirit of wonder and curiosity that characterized Barnum&#8217;s collection of curiosities and entertainments.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Gilder Center continues this tradition, evoking a sense of wonderment and delight in its visitors.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The building&#8217;s construction process employed a technique called &#8220;shotcrete,&#8221; which involves spraying concrete onto armatures of rebar and metal mesh and then carving or troweling the wet concrete by hand.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This method, developed by Carl Akeley, the &#8220;father of modern taxidermy,&#8221; gives the Gilder Center&#8217;s canyon its unique texture and appearance.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><strong>A Lasting Legacy<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Despite initial skepticism and concerns about the sustainability of shotcrete, the Gilder Center&#8217;s design has the potential to stand the test of time.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Its beauty and functionality are likely to ensure its continued use and appreciation, making it a lasting and beloved addition to the Natural History Museum.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Gilder Center&#8217;s awe-inspiring architecture and thoughtful design elements, such as polished oak rails and a bean-shaped staircase, create an immersive experience that transports visitors to a world of wonder and discovery.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Its fusion of art, science, and nature make it a fitting tribute to the museum&#8217;s rich history and an exciting new chapter in its ongoing evolution.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":156577,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[410],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-156576","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-art-and-culture"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/culture.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/156576"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/culture.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/culture.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/culture.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/18"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/culture.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=156576"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/culture.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/156576\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/culture.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/156577"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/culture.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=156576"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/culture.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=156576"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/culture.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=156576"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}