The Building
World-renowned Albuquerque, New Mexico, architect Antoine Predock saw in Tacoma’s misty and muted light a great opportunity to design a building. Using the soft light of the Pacific Northwest, the building reflects the surrounding industrial facilities, Mt. Rainier, and the neighboring museums that now mark Tacoma’s Cultural District.
The museum’s galleries – 12,000 square feet (1,100 m2) in all – are large and well lit, and flexibility is provided through the design of a family of interconnected galleries and movable walls. Modern storage systems, a covered loading dock, and facilities for art handling and prep work ensure that the art is protected. The museum’s permanent collection is one of the premier collections of Northwest artists’ work and includes the consummate public collection of Dale Chihuly’s work on permanent display.
The open-air interior Stone Wave is encased in mirrored stainless steel and reflective glass. Designed by Richard Rhodes of Rhodes Architectural Stone, in concert with building architect Antoine Predock, the wave creates a visually simple space for visitors to rest their eyes between viewing the art in each gallery. The sculptural space also brings life to the center of the building.
Despite its visual simplicity, the design of the wave itself is complex, made of ancient Chinese stone pavers washing toward one wall. The shape unfolds to reveal new perspectives as the visitor travels the Weyerhaeuser Company Foundation Walkway around the space to visit each of the five galleries.
Predock, who was inspired by the water and quality of light in Tacoma, envisioned a space “with an element of the Northwest, very quiet and contemplative.” Rhodes brings this vision to life by introducing the element of water and creating a sense of movement with a rigid material. “It is exciting to shape a hard, organic material so that it appears liquid – to manipulate the visual experience so that the pavements appear to wash against the glass,” notes Rhodes.
Read more about this topic: Tacoma Art Museum
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