Axis Mundi Re-Imagines A Concrete Lace Network for the Whitney Downtown Museum

<a href="http://inhabitat.com/tag/axis-mundi">Axis Mundi</a> isn't content to rest on their laurels - the firm has decided to design their own version of the <a href="http://www.axismundi.com/architecture/whitney.html" target="_blank">Whitney Downtown museum</a>. Located at the beginning of the High Line park, the Whitney Museum will serve as an important public gathering space and almost acts like the entrance to the elevated urban green space. Axis Mundi's design calls for a lace-like concrete superstructure that offers large, spacious, column-free galleries, and an influx of natural daylight. Designed to take in specific views from around the city, the building takes inspiration from the current <a href="http://whitney.org/" target="_blank">Whitney Museum</a> on Madison Avenue.

Axis Mundi apparently didn't like <a href="http://inhabitat.com/nyc/whitney-museum-breaks-ground-on-new-leed-seeking-high-line-building/" target="_blank">Renzo Piano's design for the Whitney Downtown museum</a> and decided to come up with their own.

The design takes inspiration from the original Whitney and the geometric window cuts are replayed but in a much larger version.

To create large, column free galleries, <a href="http://www.axismundi.com/architecture/whitney.html" target="_blank">Axis Mundi</a> creates a perimeter superstructure to contain the staircases, escalators, elevators, and mechanical rooms.

This structural lattice allows the galleries to float and large interstitial windows flood the interior with natural daylighting.

The museum is located at the beginning of the High Line at the intersection of Washington and Gansevoort Streets.

Views out of the building were organized around a series of sight lines extending to 10th Avenue, the Empire State Building, the <a href="http://whitney.org/" target="_blank">Whitney on Madison</a>, and the location of the original Whitney on West 10th Street.

The ground floor level is meant to be an extension of the street level urban fabric and features large-scale sculptures, an outdoor cafe bridge, an info kiosk, and a performance area.

The museum has a direct connection with the elevated park and extends the landscape into and around the building with plantings and vegetation.

Floorplans of the museum.

Site plan of the Whitney Downtown in relationship to the High Line.