Expansion of MoMA in New York

New York's MoMA owns the largest collection of 20th-century art in the world. Its history began in 1929 when it had only eight works of art, but ten years later it moved to a new building on 53rd Street, designed for it by architects Philip Goodwin and Edward Durell. Over time, the museum was expanded with involvement from the greatest architects of their time (e.g., Philip Johnson in 1967, César Pelli in 1984). The museum's collections continued to grow. By the mid-90s, a total of 150,000 exhibits were stored in twelve different warehouses across New York City. Therefore, in 1997, a multi-round competition was announced for a significant expansion of the existing museum (to which architects like W. Arets, J. Herzog, S. Holl, T. Ito, R. Koolhaas, and B. Tschumi were invited). The project by Japanese architect Yoshio Taniguchi, who is one of the most significant contemporary architects specializing in museum buildings, won. After three years of construction, Taniguchi's extension was ceremonially opened for the 75th anniversary of MoMA, nearly doubling the museum's capacity. The total costs of the project exceeded $858 million: the plot between 53rd and 54th Streets cost $433 million and an additional $425 million was spent on the new construction and renovation of the historical parts of the museum.
The new MoMA is restrained. Its architecture harmoniously blends into the city's environment. The minimalism and symmetry of the outer form are subordinated to the content of the building. The thirty-three-meter high entrance atrium has become the starting point and new heart of the museum. From here, paths lead to new light-filled exhibition spaces on all six floors. 3600 m² of new space finally allows for the presentation of large-scale and heavy works. Taniguchi created high spaces without unnecessary columns or load-bearing walls. The new MoMA boasts an abundance of noble materials and their excellent workmanship: velvet-black granite was quarried in Zimbabwe and then cut in Italy, thin steel frames for the glass façade are hand-forged, and the door frames in the interiors are made of white bronze.
Both historic buildings of MoMA have been reconstructed with the utmost humility. The new construction does not overshadow them and they remain clearly readable from the main entrance on 53rd Street. Much attention was also given by Taniguchi to the staging of the famous Sculptural Garden on 54th Street. Its longer side has been repaired, and its shorter sides have been bordered by two new buildings. One of them serves for research and education, while the other houses a substantial part of the new exhibition space. The roofs of both buildings are cantilevered into the garden like protective caps. Their façades are mostly glazed towards the garden, while they close off to the street with a shell of black granite and reflective glass. The museum still remains maximally open to the city. The publicly accessible lobby spans 70 meters across and is not blocked by art. Many exhibition spaces also offer stunning views of Manhattan, showcasing the skyline as an overwhelming modern work of art.
After the renovation, MoMA expects an increased interest from visitors. Instead of the current 1.6 million, an additional million visitors are expected annually. For a price of $20, they will be offered a glimpse of the unique collection of 20th-century art.