Art Institute of Chicago Addition, Concept Sketch Perspective

Renzo PianoWW-2001-138359

2001·Green marker on paper·Approx: 38 × 30.4 cm (14 15/16 × 12 in.)

<p>New wings, additions, and visitors’ centers built in the 21st century reflect evolving cultural discourses and institutional identities. These projects use various strategies to respond to contemporary agendas while respecting the existing structure of buildings. For the addition to the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, José Rafael Moneo decided not to emulate the institution’s older buildings. Instead, the new structure would allow the MFAH campus to be seen as an eclectic compilation of architectural styles. At the Art Institute of Chicago, Renzo Piano intended for the new wing not only to host galleries but to serve as a connector between Millennium Park and the heart of the existing museum, actively linking it with urban life.</p>

Catalogue

Year: 2001
Medium: Green marker on paper
Dimensions: Approx: 38 × 30.4 cm (14 15/16 × 12 in.)
Collection: Art Institute of Chicago
Artist: Renzo Piano

Artist

Renzo Piano

Renzo Piano is an Italian architect and structural engineer whose practice spans buildings, installations, and conceptual frameworks that prioritize transparency, modularity, and the relationship between structure and skin. Born in Genoa in 1937, he trained under Carlo Scarpa and collaborated extensively with engineer Peter Rice, developing a vocabulary of exposed steel frames, prefabricated components, and moveable glazing systems that became signature to his work. His approach emerged directly from postwar reconstruction and industrial production methods, treating the building envelope as a deliberately legible apparatus rather than a concealing surface.

Genoa, Italy

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