The Herald reported on recent development of the MAM‘s moves toward a new building. The Board of Trustees and Terence Riley went on a world tour studying museum buildings, taking notes on architects and creating their own short list. Because the Board is putting up the money to hire and pay the main architect, they will forgo a competition and they will simply hire one.
And so,
On Sept. 14, Riley plans to present the finalists’ names — and his single preferred choice — to a three-person selection panel. Panelists will debate, hear public comment and vote in an open session at the museum’s current downtown home.
At the selection meeting, Riley will discuss each finalist’s work ”and then explain in a convincing fashion hopefully to the public and the board why one particular candidate stands out in my mind,” he said. Riley said he has not settled on that name.
Once an architect is selected, Riley said he expects work to start ”the next day.” A conceptual design could be done in six months, with a final plan due in 2008.
This is potentially good. I hope the room will be packed with those who want to voice their opinions. There will be a building at Bicentennial and it will be built for a greater art-viewing public. My concerns are that we get a big ugly white elephant. I think this is an opportunity to erect a great civic building. Not a private and exclusive place, like a sport stadium or a condo or a club, but a truly public place, a place for the mass, a place for us all.
