The Berkeley Art Museum's throwing in the towel on the Toyo Ito design for its new building. The not very discreet chatter in the city, even months ago as Ito-san discussed his concept in a rare visit, was that BAM was sorely lacking in the funds needed to put the whole contraption together. To wit: some $145 million, including pieces rumored to be constructed in China, then shipped to Berkeley for assemblage. That made the whole vision and lecture seem like an interlude in magical thinking, but then the economy got worse and all got quiet on the BAM front. Museum officials are still holding fast to their 2013 open date for a new building at Center and Oxford streets, just without the Japanese starchitect's design. According to BAM, "several intriguing concepts for a new BAM/PFA home are under review and a detailed plan is expected to be unveiled early next year." And UC Berkeley's Daily Cal says Ito may yet stay on, though nothing's set in stone yet.
· Berkeley Art Museum Drops Design for New Location [Daily Cal]
· UC Berkeley Modifying Museum Building Project [BAM/PFA]
· The Man Behind Berkeley Art Museum's Gleefully Curvy Walls [Curbed SF]
· Berkeley Art Museum: Game On for Toyo Ito [Curbed SF]
Filed under:
Loading comments...