© Todd Hido
The Museum of the African Diaspora (MoAD) occupies 20,000 sqf on portions of three floors of the St. Regis Museum Tower Hotel / Condominium. Located at the corner of Third and Mission Streets in San Francisco, MoAD is in the heart of the Yerba Buena cultural district and is a close neighbor to Mario Botta’s San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. The museum celebrates the origin, movement, adaptation, and transformation of African cultures as they spread throughout the world.
Architect: The Freelon Group Architects
Location: San Francisco, California, USA
Project Area: 20,000 sqf
Photographs: Todd Hido
© Todd Hido
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The Museum’s Mission Street frontage is distinguished from the remainder of the tower (designed by SOM) by its limestone cladding and expansive three-story curtain wall and atrium which lends a “jewel box” quality to the façade. Within this urban vitrine is a monumental image of hope as seen through the innocent eyes of an African-American child. Like the museum’s mission, it is a future comprised of a collage of disparate voices, histories and traditions – in this case, a literal mosaic of images that begin to tell the story of the African Diaspora.
© Todd Hido
The entry is marked by an “intervention” expressed through the intersection of the orthogonal city grid and the angled axis of the orange canopy that visually guides visitors into the Museum. The design seeks to engage the public starting at the street level. The themes and content of the Museum are subsequently incorporated into the architectural design of all three floors, reinforcing the seamless integration of architecture and content.
© Todd Hido
The organization of the Museum’s program is informed by the pre-existing tenant allocations made by the Tower developer and architect. Due to the limited ground floor area, the ticketing and museum store were designed as an open, flexible environment. As a single fluid space, the ground floor is readily adaptable to specific events or become a reception / pre-function area for the immersive exhibits and multi-purpose gallery spaces above.
© Todd Hido
Business, Program and Content Development: Lord Cultural Resources
Exhibit Design: Sussman / Prejza
General Contractor: Webcor Builders
Lighting Designer: Cline Bettridge Bernstein Lighting Design, Inc.
The Museum of the African Diaspora / The Freelon Group Architects originally appeared on ArchDaily, the most visited architecture website on 10 Jun 2011.
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