This article was scraped from Rochester Subway. This is a blog about Rochester history and urbanism has not been published since 2017. The current owners are now publishing link spam which made me want to preserve this history.. The original article was published October 15, 2014 and can be found here.
Rochester Museum and Science Center
is planning an expansion to link the main museum building on East Avenue with the Strasenburgh Planetarium next door. The $7 million project will be paid for with the help of private donations and a variety of grants.
Now, most people seem to agree the link between the two buildings is greatly needed. However, since renderings were released last spring, the design aesthetic has been a hotly debated topic...
The first design (above) put forth by RMSC and Labella Associates
in the spring and again in September was turned down by the Preservation Board, saying the new addition was "too strong" and should not compete with the existing buildings, rather it should be as transparent as possible.
So the question was, how to successfully connect two historic buildings, each with very distinct architectural styles, while not detracting from either of them. Labella went back to the drawing board and came back on October 1 with this...
Eh. I'd give it a "E" for effort. This one may not be detracting too much, but it certainly isn't winning any awards for creativity.
I'm not sure if the Preservation Board has made it's decision yet, as nothing has been posted to the City's web site. But while we wait for a verdict,
Just posted to the City's web site after this article was posted, the Preservation Board HAS decided to approve the building addition. The fountain, plaza, and restaurant will be decided on at a future meeting. In any event...
I wanted you to see a third concept
from SWBR Architects.
This one was NOT chosen by RMSC. Check it out...
The building appears to gently lift up out of the earth like tectonic plates! Very poetic - and quite brilliant. The gradually sloping green roof is almost undetectable from the front.
The most indication that this is even a building at all comes when viewed from the rear.
My guess is this concept may have been too pricey for RMSC. But as the adage goes, you get what you pay for. If I were king of the science museum, I would have sprung for this one.
Thanks to Christopher Brandt and Matthew Denker for help with this post!
