Whitney Museum of American Art

Author: (USA) Stoller
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2001-10-01
Features: The Whitney Museum, with its black granite facade, recedes from the street and is located behind a sunken sculpture garden. It forms a stark contrast with the neighboring traditional row houses and the glass-and-steel skyscrapers that dominate the Manhattan skyline. Designed by Bauhaus master Marcel Breuer and opened to the public in 1966, the building is regarded as a sacred oasis in the city—a profound, fortress-like utopia that embodies its identity as an art house. The museum has a defensive appearance but is free and playful inside. Breuer's flexible exhibition spaces and high ceilings are well-suited to the display requirements of modern painting and sculpture. Unique details—such as trapezoidal windows and grid-like ceilings—also reveal a wealth of ingenious ideas. This book is suitable for architects and designers, as well as a broad readership, for reference and reading.