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Sunday, September 29, 2024 |
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Berkowitz Contemporary Foundation unveils designs for Miami art space |
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3D Rendering by Azeez Bakare Studios / courtesy Rene Gonzalez Architects.
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MIAMI, FLA.- Berkowitz Contemporary Foundation, a non-profit foundation formerly known as Fairholme Unlimited, has announced the designs for its innovative new art space in Miami. Designed by Miami-based firm Rene Gonzalez Architects (RGA), the 45,000 square-foot building will serve as the permanent home for the Foundations growing art collection, which features thought-provoking, experiential works of art by world-renowned contemporary artists. Along with bringing an impactful architectural structure to the city, BCF will further enrich Miamis vibrant art scene by providing free public access to the Foundations collection.
In 2017, Berkowitz Contemporary Foundationspearheaded by President and founder Chloe Berkowitzappointed Rene Gonzalez to design a new home for its collection. Since the appointment, the Foundation and architect have worked in close collaboration throughout a methodical design process. Where possible, several of the artists whose work will feature prominently in the new space were directly involved in conversations about the design. As a direct result of this artistic dialogue, Gonzalez developed plans for a space that is specifically designed to showcase the Foundations collection and strengthen its mission. Pending approval from the city, the Foundation will break ground on the new building in the beginning of 2020, with plans to open in 2023.
I am honored to be working with the founder and board of BCF to design and realize its vision for a new landmark building in Miami, explained architect Rene Gonzalez. We have worked closely with the Foundation, as well as several of the artists in their collection, to design an immersive and contemplative building that will enhance the citys cultural landscape.
Chloe Berkowitz elaborated, I am profoundly humbled by the immense support and enthusiasm from the Miami community that surrounds this project. Renes outstanding designs are not only innovative but thoughtful with regards to both Edgewaters landscape and Berkowitz Contemporary Foundations collection. BCFs Board of Directors continues to be an extraordinary source of guidance and wisdom, and I am incredibly proud of the progress we continue to make.
Located on Biscayne Boulevard in between 26th Street and 26th Terrace, BCF will stand at the center of a cultural corridor stretching along Biscayne Blvd from downtown to midtown Miami. The building itself will address its urban environmentit features a prominent outdoor plaza, which will introduce a vibrant, open space into a heavily trafficked commercial area. Its entrance is located beneath a cantilevered second-story, which hovers dramatically over the ground to create a welcoming path into the spacious first-floor lobby. RGA has tapered the volume of the cast concrete building, such that its scale will contrast with the higher density buildings in the surrounding neighborhood.
The Berkowitz Contemporary Foundations announcement signals Miamis ongoing evolution into a world-class destination for art and culture, said Miami Mayor Francis Suarez. This innovative space will serve as a valued addition to Miamis rich creative landscape, and make extraordinary works of art accessible to the community.
Gonzalez design for the new building was dictated by the scale and magnitude of two monumental worksRichard Serras Passage of Time and James Turrells Aten Reign. Situated in the outdoor space flanked by the building and garden, Serras undulating 218-foot-long Cor-Ten steel sculpture will be open to the sky and visible from the street. A glass wall facing onto Biscayne Boulevard will provide passing pedestrians and street traffic with unobstructed views of the sculpture, amplifying the buildings civic presence. Once installed in the new space, Passage of Time will be on view for the first time since it debuted in 2014 at the QMA Gallery in Qatar as part of the artists first solo show in the Middle East.
In contrast, visitors will access Turrells 80-foot-tall light installation through a corridor, which Turrell envisions as a transitional space allowing visitors eyes to adjust to the piece. The height of the building was specifically designed to accommodate Aten Reign, which features a skylight filtering natural light into the space while LED lights, hidden within surrounding tiers of ovular rings, slowly cycle through the color spectrum. This immersive, sensory work drew a record number of visitors to the Guggenheim Museums iconic Frank Lloyd Wright rotunda when it first debuted in New York in 2013.
In addition to these two anchoring pieces, the Foundation will take full advantage of approximately 30,000 square feet of exhibition space to showcase works by a roster of leading contemporary artists including large-scale immersive works by Larry Bell, Fred Sandback, and Anish Kapoor along with installations by Philippe Parreno and Maurizio Cattelan. Flexible gallery spaces on the second and third floors will accommodate both the permanent collection and rotating exhibitions.
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