Technology

The dramatic veil is comprised of 2,500 unique rhomboidal panels of fiberglass-reinforced concrete. They initially intended the façade to be a porous exoskeleton, but they never realized the goal of these panels serving as the building’s primary structure. Rather than supporting the building these panels are held up by a separate 650-ton steel substructure.

Each panel is unique and was made with a mold fabricated with a computer-controlled router. The skin is not only beautiful and compelling but is smart and performs the vital function of filling the museum with natural light while protecting the art from direct sun light. UV light damages artwork, but paradoxically, natural light is the best light to have when viewing art. This is why most museums don’t have many windows and can look impenetrable.The designers here wanted to resolve this paradox with a single seamless skin that wrapped around the building — changing its geometry based on the orientation and the sun’s predictable path.

The veil is lifted at the corners to reveal the entry into the building.

After the unveiling, critics were understandably disappointed that the skin never achieved its ultimate goal. One critic described the building as “creative imagination muted, held back and otherwise reined in.”  My greatest disappointment was being unable to experience the interior space behind the belly button that arrests your attention when you approach the building. After navigating several uninspired hallways I was stopped 30 feet short of the captivating feature. I caught a glimpse of the object of my desire through a gap in the glass wall and pulled curtains before I was shushed off by the museum staff. I am torn between wanting to praise the progress that was made and my disappointment in how the effort fell short of the promise. Interestingly, this is the way I feel about most technology that surrounds us today.