| A natural history museum moves out of town, and into nature
Normally, as cultural centers, museums are placed in a more urban setting so that even those who haven't made the decision to visit can enjoy and learn at will. Hours were spent driving around the state with the architects in tow, letting them absorb their surroundings, and ultimately absorb the natural history that they would be designing for in person. ". George said that before the building was even designed, a group got together to decide how much space to dedicate to various functions, or how to connect storage, exhibits and the outdoors. "We liked that they listened to us very carefully," she said. One of the greatest parts about good architecture and design is its ability to draw people to it. She holds degrees from the University of Oregon and New York University. Where to build a museum George said that back in 1994, when the museum was just beginning to take into consideration a move from its old building in the center of the University of Utah's campus, a consulting company gave them a list of criteria that would help them assess a whole new site: cost of development (does it already have infrastructure), will you have to buy the land (if so, who owns it), will it be accessible to the museum's faculty and students (do you want to stay a part of the university), the level of public access, and access to the outdoors (the staff really wanted direct connections to the outside). For cities which are up-and-coming, like Salt Lake, the placement of cultural hubs matters, and a traditional view is that museums create a sense of legitimacy and a cosmopolitan feel. But the reason that museums generally traditionally go in a more metro area is access. If a more urban center isn't an option, how to you bring in visitors? You make it out the building, and you make it about the museum's content. Other spots, including Salt Lake's downtown area and as well as further out of town near the marshes of the Great Salt Lake were considered, but the new site scored high in all the criteria other than public access. "What makes a museum great," said George, "is when it's aesthetically wonderful and when it functions well. Contributing Editor, Design Beth Carter is a freelance journalist based in New York City. The university's campus was expanding, and this area of the foothills was already planned for development– also, there are other cultural centers nearby: the Utah Zoo and the Red Butte Garden, a local destination all year, but known for an ideal concert line-up during the summer season. The new museum is closer, and much smaller, but will likely have a big cultural impact on the city and state that is its subject. Beth does not have financial holdings that would influence how or what she covers in her writing. She writes for SmartPlanet and will not be an employee of CBS. |
Sunday, 1 April 2012
A natural history museum moves out of town, and into nature
