Originally open in 1976, the Museum of Anthropology is situated on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded land of the Musqueam people. It was designed by Arthur Erickson and has been recognized by the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada for its enduring excellence and national significance to Canadian architecture as one of the best works of the 20th century. In 2017, our team began envelope rehabilitation on multiple areas of the building and started the very complex task of planning a seismic structural upgrade of the Great Hall. Our goal is to completely rebuild the Great Hall using base isolation to protect against a potential earthquake. In early meetings, Nick mentioned “when the project is finished, it should feel as if we were never there.” This has been the guiding spirit of our work. The building is a sublime testament to Arthur Erickson’s design philosophy which is founded on a deep understanding of the “function and meaning of architecture as an art of environmental context and of cultural expression, as something having more than sheer mechanistic utility, as something expressive of the human condition and the human spirit.” The planned intervention of additions and rehabilitation upgrades of the original Museum building must be approached in light of its cultural and recognized architectural significance and an understanding of its conception. More updates to come! Photo: Anne Gingras #baseisolation #seismicupgrade #vancouver #architecture #arthurerickson #visitmoa #museumofanthropology #moa #ubc #nmamoa #milkovicharch (at Museum of Anthropology) https://www.instagram.com/p/Ca-Z-w7v5PP/?utm_medium=tumblr
