44 DIGS.NET
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4.19.2019
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A D B | S F M O M A
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ounded in 1935, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art has a long,
rich story. As the first West Coast museum dedicated to modern and
contemporary art, SFMOMA expanded in 1970-1972 before moving
in 1995—in celebration of its 60th anniversary—into a building especially
designed to host its collection by Mario Botta. Closed to the public for
massive expansion construction in 2013, SFMOMA reopened three years
later with a 10-story addition designed by Snøhetta.
With nearly triple the exhibition space, the beautifully transformed
SFMOMA now offers 170,000 square feet of galleries, and is the largest
modern and contemporary art museum in the country. Inspired by the San
Francisco Bay—its surrounding waters and foggy weather in particular—
the eastern facade comprises more than 700 fiberglass reinforced polymer
panels affixed to a curtain-wall system, creating a horizontal undulation
and changing its appearance depending on the light. e Snøhetta
architecture not only looks to the future but also complements the original
Aer a three-year renovation, the San Francisco Museum of Modern
Art reopened its doors in 2016, showcasing a fascinating new building
designed by Nor wegian studio Snøhetta.
W R I T T E N B Y K A R I N E M O N I É
CU LTU R A L GEM
