This forty foot wide building is surrounded
on three sides by sites owned by the Museum of Modern Art. The
facade of the Museum of American Folk Art, then, is designed
to make a strong but quiet statement of independence. It is sculptural
in form, recalling an abstracted open hand. Generally solid,
it is folded slightly inward creating a faceted plane. Metal
panels of Tombasil (a form of white bronze), poured into gated
forms on the concrete floor of a foundry will clad the building.
Spaces between each panel will reveal the darkened wall of the
weather barrier behind. These panels will catch the glow of the
morning and early evening sun as it rises and sets, east and
west along 53rd street.
