Gallery Alberta Barnese in Philadelphia by TWBT

The Neoclassical building of the Barnes Foundation in Merion, located not far from Philadelphia, is not merely a container for art pieces, but is itself an artistic object. Despite the last will of its founder, Albert Coombs Barney, who passed away in 1951, the entire foundation has now moved to downtown Philadelphia. The authors of the new headquarters are the New York couple Tod Williams and Billie Tsien, who attempted to build a new cultural sanctuary that draws from the original spirit of the institution, resulting in a two-part object placed in the middle of Fairmount Park. One section attempts to replicate the original exhibition spaces, while the new part expands the whole with new possibilities for use. The new museum consists of a two-story stone block complemented by a glass exhibition hall that dramatically overhangs at the southern end. Its facade is made of translucent surfaces that light up at night, creating a bright crown. The new spatial layout offers not only a gallery but also ample space for a restaurant, café, auditorium, and a library with a reading room. While the museum's gray stone facade gives the impression of an impregnable fortress from the outside, the interior spaces are dominated by warm colors ranging from red to beige to shades of brown. The new exhibition galleries convey an effort to approach the qualities of the 'old spaces.' A nostalgic longing can be seen from the textile wall coverings to the methods of hanging exhibits. The execution of the floors, window frames, and wooden paneling remains somewhat less close to the original, where the architects primarily aimed for maximum simplification of details. The lighting has also undergone a series of changes and optimizations compared to the previous situation. The author of the surrounding landscape design is Laurie D. Olin, who employed a similar modernist language as the museum in his design. The total cost of relocating the institution to the new building was 150 million dollars.

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