nightstreak
Active Member
This is going to be an interesting engineering challenge. That crossbeam has to be removed since that's where the new entrance will be. The original entrance was on the right side there. I wonder how they'll reinforce this load bearing support while opening a large enough doorway. Any structural engineers have any guesses?
flonicky
Senior Member
Richard White
Senior Member
This looks so much better on the outside.
I was at the ROM last week visiting the Auschwitz exhibit. The inside is currently a disorganized mess not worth the price of admission.
AlbertC
Superstar
flonicky
Senior Member
UtakataNoAnnex
Senior Member
Wish they where doing things to improve that cladding though...
AlvinofDiaspar
Moderator
This is going to be an interesting engineering challenge. That crossbeam has to be removed since that's where the new entrance will be. The original entrance was on the right side there. I wonder how they'll reinforce this load bearing support while opening a large enough doorway. Any structural engineers have any guesses?
You can see a massive column to the left of the revolving doors in this rendering from HPA:
AoD
CapitalSeven
Senior Member
Well the rest of the building is more or less already this colour. Get some Tremclad and a big roller.
junctionist
Senior Member
What will it take to get the cladding replaced with something sleeker and higher end? You can't go this far in the realm of architecture and just throw in the towel on cladding. I know it's a big expense, but it can be done. 20 years have almost gone by since the Crystal opened, and it still feels like it's a work in progress. No wonder many still haven't warmed up to it.
UtakataNoAnnex
Senior Member
I think the thing is is that they can't have it all glass as it was determined to play havoc on the environmental systems that keep their exhibits intact....or to least my understanding of that...
...however and that said, they should of least come up with better cladding then what they ended up with. Addressing the issues of the original proposal doesn't mean they should of cheapened out on it, IMO.
nightstreak
Active Member
Give it another decade perhaps. The slats aren't weathering too great. I'm not sure if it just needs a good cleaning or if they're beginning to permanently stain but you can see it up close.
Opaque glass would've been fine with the current envelope. I think it would blend in better with the heritage building and not come off as so cold and industrial. You could even light it from behind at night.
I'd go with a bronze theme to match the new canopy and interior finishings.
...or go fancy with a fluted texture:
The metal slats are purely aesthetic and don't perform any building sealing role. I don't imagine replacing them with glass would be overtly expensive, just glass cut to the same measurements as the slats that could clip into the same system. But it's probably not a priority like better circulation and gallery spaces and an inviting entrance as this renovation focuses on.
I don't dislike the metal, only the carelessness with which they just accepted the mismatched colours. They're doing it again with bronze window trims below and leaving the black window trims everywhere else. The grey will look even more out of place so perhaps the ROM will address it sooner or later.
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AnnetteMeetsJane
Active Member
Given that the ROM is a museum, and needs to protect a lot of their artifacts from UV, would opaque glass be a good option?
UtakataNoAnnex
Senior Member
And yeah, being more sleek doesn't mean it has to be of glass though. Just something of more professional quality then what they went with, while still protecting all the goods inside.
AlvinofDiaspar
Moderator
If I remembered correctly, Josef Gartner (part of the Permastdelissa Group) supplied the cladding; outcome notwithstanding, there is nothing sub-professional about it.
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