The role that architecture plays in our individual and communal lives is often overlooked, yet in an age when environmental crises are imminent and individuals increasingly turn inward to their electronic devices, an investment in quality spaces that promote social and ecological well-being seems more urgent than ever. This conundrum begs the question: how can a deeper appreciation for architecture be instilled in twenty-first century society?
A debate over how museums should integrate architecture into their activities recently surfaced following the announcement in April 2016 that the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) would temporarily close its dedicated architecture and design galleries due to the institution’s ongoing building renovations. This announcement raised an outcry from the design community. Several architecture and design writers—like William Menking at The Architect's Newspaper and Marty Wood with Metropolis, not to mention numerous online commenters—expressed their concerns over the closure and considered its potential effects for the field. On one hand, MoMA’s Department of Architecture and Design would have to compete with other curatorial departments for exhibition space in the Museum’s general galleries, possibly resulting in a compromised representation of architecture and design materials in public displays. On the other hand, the materials’ inclusion within more broadly conceived multi-disciplinary exhibitions could provide them with both a richer context and a wider audience.
MoMA’s Chief Curator of Architecture and Design, Martino Stierli, addressed these concerns in a public response and in a recent interview. He has assured readers that the department will still be represented in both medium-specific and multi-disciplinary shows, noting several architecturally-focused exhibitions and programs scheduled for the coming years. He also notes that plans for the building renovation are ongoing, and that the years leading up to its completion will mark a period of experimentation “with new ways in which to bring the vast and diverse holdings of the Museum’s collection into new and meaningful encounters and dialogues.” While Stierli’s remarks have addressed the concerns at hand, the indication of an ongoing, experimental planning phase should be seen as an opportunity to engage in further dialog about how we interpret and share architectural knowledge today—a question that extends beyond mere nostalgia for or defense of gallery real estate.
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