The Met has announced a major redesign plan, with David Chipperfield Architects developing a new design for the museum’s southwest wing, housing its modern and contemporary collections.  “The project will run concurrent with the Met’s installations in the Marcel Breuer-designed building that formerly housed the Whitney,” says current director Thomas P. Campbell, “allowing us to regenerate our permanent spaces in the Met’s main building while maintaining a vibrant program for modern and contemporary art just blocks away.” (more…)

Starting its campaign to create a “neighborhood of art” around its Houston campus, the Menil Collection has hired landscape architect Michael Van Valkenburgh to redesign and expand the environment around its 6 buildings.    “It’s always a challenge to take a landscape that has evolved incrementally and a landscape that has a subtle and modest character and to somehow succeed in improving it,” Mr. Van Valkenburgh says. “It’s not something that needs to be reinvented.” (more…)

Moving towards a sleeker, stripped-down brand identity, the Whitney Museum of American Art has unveiled its new logo and site design, making reference to the Whitney Museum’s new Chelsea location and its jagged architectural facade.  Designed by Experimental Jetset Studios, the museum is currently hosting a video documenting the process of creating the new identity on its website. (more…)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art is held a ground breaking ceremony today to launch the renovations on its Fifth Avenue entrance.  The new design will feature new fountains alongside the building and additional trees for shade.  “We wanted to bring in more trees, more shade, and plantings, so that it’s a more friendly place for our visitors.” Says Museum Director and CEO Thomas Campbell. (more…)