October 22, 2008. At long last, the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum has released renderings of its upcoming $54 million Re:Design by executive architect Beyer Blinder Belle and design architect Gluckman Mayner Architects. The first stage of the project, to be conducted in 2009, will be the development of the landmark Carnegie Mansion facilities to be followed by reconstruction of the museum.
The renovation will increase exhibition space in the mansion by a whopping 70% and create a cluster of first floor galleries that will host a permanent exhibition intended to ask and answer the question: What is Design? with the help of rotating pieces of the collection. Some second floor offices will be converted to galleries while a 7,000-square foot gallery will anchor the third floor of the building with a display of large-scale industrial design objects and more complicated technologies. Improved facilities on the ground floor for exhibit preparation and conservation will enable staff to quickly install and take down shows, giving the public a full 12 months of major exhibitions each year. cooperhewitt.org