After some delays in scheduling, Michigan State University recently announced that the Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum is slated for a March 2010 groundbreaking, which will be followed by a 23-month construction period. The museum is expected to open in 2012. The announcement confirmed the timeline of the museum's construction, which had been delayed due to fundraising issues amid the economic recession.
The museum is a gift from Eli and Edythe Broad; Mr. Broad is an alumnus of Michigan State University. The donation includes $18.5 million for the structure and $7.5 million in endowed funds or acquisitions, exhibitions, and operations. Separately, the university has raised about $30 million as of April, 2009. The total cost of the project is estimated at $40 to $45 million.
Modern Design by Zaha Hadid
The building is designed by Zaha Hadid, a Pritzker Prize-winning architect, and her London-based firm, Zaha Hadid Limited. Hadid's design was chosen in January 2008 through an international competition with four other renowned design firms. When completed, it will be the second of Hadid's buildings in the United States following the Rosenthal Center for Contemporary Art in Cincinnati.
The Broad Art Museum will be 42,000 square feet on three levels. Situated on the corner of Grand River Avenue and Farm Lane within Michigan State University's campus in East Lansing, the building will be longitudinal in form and oriented on an east-west axis, with entrances on both east and west sides. The main body will be of steel and concrete, with an exterior of dynamic glass and metal pleats. Outside, there will be an expansive sculpture garden.
In a previous statement, the architect described the design concept as being a series of trapezoidal galleries with pleated or louvered exteriors that crisscross in multiple configurations. This will create a series of unexpected interior spaces. The building is also environmentally-friendly: the louvered exterior will also enable museum officials to control daylight levels, one of several sustainable features aimed at obtaining a LEED rating for the project.
Yet Another "Broad" Contemporary Art Venue
The Broad Art Museum at Michigan State University will focus on modern and contemporary art including new media, photography, and works on paper. Other facilities will include an education area, museum shop, and visitor cafe.
This is not the first of the Broads' commitment to public museums. The Broad Contemporary Art Museum (BCAM) opened in February 2008 within the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) complex in Los Angeles. The BCAM was designed by Renzo Piano, also a Pritzker Prize winning architect.
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