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The Bronx Museum of the Arts on the corner of Grand Concourse and 165th Street is about to undergo a massive renovation that will include a brand-new lobby design and a multi-story entrance.
Believe it or not, despite being an important local cultural destination (and the only free contemporary art museum in the city), this is the first time that the institution has benefited from such a revamp, which is expected to be completed by 2025.
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Supervised by the New York City Economic Development Corporation under the tutelage of the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs and the Bronx Museum, the project will be financed by $26 million provided by city funding.
The Architect's Newspaper reports that, last December, architectural firm Marvel was selected to lead the design side of the job. As can be glimpsed at in the recently-released renderings, the renovation will connect the various buildings that make up the institution by creating a route that will run through each gallery in the hopes of, according to an official press release, "bring the street into the gallery and bring the gallery back to the street."
In an ode to history, Marvel has actually announced its plans to break down the dark metal panels that until now have concealed the original building's brick walls. As many know, the museum is housed in a former synagogue building from 1962.
"The Bronx Museum was founded for the people of the Bronx, and has become a globally recognized institution," said Klaudio Rodriguez, the executive director of the Bronx Museum, in an official statement. "With the renovation of our entrance and new identity, we hope to further our mission to not only champion artists who are not typically represented within museums, but also amplify our ability to educate, engage and provide a critical gathering space for our communities."
Speaking of: the pretty wide-ranging updates won't be of the physical kind only. In addition to the renovation, the museum revealed a novel brand identity that is most thoroughly reflected in website and logo changes.
The complete brand overhaul, led by design studio Team, is the first one that the institution has been a part of in over 20 years. Seeking to “reflect the ethos of the museum and its vital work at the intersection of art and social justice,” according to an official statement, the institution describes the new design as “bold, distinct and resilient.”