An update by Steve.

http://www.oklahoman.com/article/4946746?embargo=1



A 27-foot-high “showroom” constructed from shipping containers is being planned for the corner of NW 11 and Broadway Drive as Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center prepares to raise money for a new downtown home along Automobile Alley.



Officials with Oklahoma Contemporary declined to comment on the project, but an application filed with the city also reveals publicly for the first time the organization’s intent to have its permanent new building built by July 2017.

More shopping crates, eh.

Better link Container collection to hold spot for new arts center in Oklahoma City | NewsOK.com (http://m.newsok.com/article/4946746)

Will be nice to see something happening on that spot.

Increasingly, it stands out as a big hole while everything is filling in all around.

Hope they can raise a ton of money and get a beautiful, permanent museum built.

Here are the renderings and plans for the temporary container installation on the Oklahoma Contemporary site at NW 11th & Broadway.

It's two levels; offices on the ground floor and the gallery on the second. The tall, vertical container will house the stairway between the two then open above the stairs. Renderings are from HSE Architecture.

Really slick:



http://www.okctalk.com/attachments/development-buildings/8253d1403302000-oklahoma-contemporary-arts.jpg
307 NW 13th (http://www.okctalk.com/showwiki.php?title=307%20NW%2013th&redirect=no) * 816 N. Walker (http://www.okctalk.com/showwiki.php?title=816+N+Walker) * 1201 N. Francis (http://www.okctalk.com/showwiki.php?title=1201+N+Francis+Apartments) * 123 Garage (http://www.okctalk.com/showwiki.php?title=123+Garage) * Ambassador Hotel * Bleu Garten * Broadway 10 * Buick Building * Catholic Charities * Edge @ Midtown * Fassler Hall / Dust Bowl * Garage Burgers * GE Global Research * Guardian * LIFT * Lisbon Lofts * Marion * Mayfair Apartments * Metropolitan * OCU Law School * Packard Building * Packard's * Pontiac Building * Pop-up Shops * R&J Lounge and Supper Club * Saint Anthony Expansion * Sidecar * Sunbeam * Viceroy Grille * Walker Building


http://www.okctalk.com/attachments/development-buildings/8254d1403302001-oklahoma-contemporary-arts1.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/attachments/development-buildings/8255d1403302001-oklahoma-contemporary-arts2.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/attachments/development-buildings/8256d1403308572-oklahoma-contemporary-arts3.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/attachments/development-buildings/8257d1403308573-oklahoma-contemporary-arts4.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/attachments/development-buildings/8258d1403308574-oklahoma-contemporary-arts5.jpg

They should stay at the Fairgrounds until they raise some money.

They should stay at the Fairgrounds until they raise some money.

I believe that is the plan.

This will just be a small, temporary satellite location.

Very cool.

Like it! Kudos again to you, Pete, on the great map in post #65; that helps put things in perspective so well.

Wish they'd bring this back to the Arts District, but that ship has probably already sailed.

It's like a mini-Stage Center...... Too soon..... Too soon....

Like it! Kudos again to you, Pete, on the great map in post #65; that helps put things in perspective so well.

Thanks!

I've updated it three times since creating it just last week.

I like it a lot.

It's like a mini-Stage Center...... Too soon..... Too soon....

I was going to post something similar, it's the replacement for Stage Center, LOL

Oklahoma Contemporary is planning to do a massive public art installation by New York artist Orly Genger.

This would be the first of a series of temporary public art displays in Campbell Park along Broadway. Oklahoma Contemporary is currently raising funds to relocate from the fairgrounds to the large empty lots immediately east of the park.

This would also coincide with the colorful shipping container installation on their property (see article at top of page).

Genger has done similar displays, most notably at New York's Madison Square Park (picture below). The Campbell Park sculpture would be red-orange in hue, inspired by Oklahoma's red dirt.

The display would commence mid October 2014 and run for a year.

ORLY GENGER (http://orlygenger.com/)

Brooklyn artist creates installation with lobster rope | Brooklyn Daily Eagle (http://www.brooklyneagle.com/articles/brooklyn-artist-creates-installation-lobster-rope-2013-05-01-161500)



http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/genger1.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/genger2.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/genger3.jpg

We need more of this all over the city, fantastic idea.

^

Agree! Especially since this is just a dead area right now.

Really starting to get excited about what Oklahoma Contemporary is going to bring in the short and longer terms. Looks like they have big plans.

Isn't Oklahoma Contemporary the ones who host all the comedians like Marc Maron, Doug Benson, Todd Barry, etc? Will they continue to host those names at the new location?

I'm very excited about everything they're doing.

Note that this will cover the length of three full city blocks.

Will be huge!

shame it's temporary

Note that this will cover the length of three full city blocks.

Will be huge!

And it begins.

Monumental rope sculpture lassos attention for Oklahoma Contemporary's future in Automobile Alley | NewsOK.com (http://m.newsok.com/monumental-rope-sculpture-lassos-attention-for-oklahoma-contemporarys-future-in-automobile-alley/article/5353115)

This should look amazing.


On an unassuming strip of Oklahoma City land known as Campbell Park, carefully knotted strands of red, yellow and blue rope snake in between and around trees, with curves and peaks already beginning to form.

“On the curves, it will be 8 feet (tall) in some places, slightly less in others,” said project manager Nick Shifrin, looking over the layout of what will become a massive rope sculpture. “Just imagine multiple, multiple layers. The pieces vary in length from about 2 feet to 130 feet, but what we do is use the different lengths to create the rise and fall.”

Titled “Terra,” the installation will eventually incorporate 1.4 million feet of interwoven rope — primarily recycled crab- and lobster-fishing rope — coated with 350 gallons of terra-cotta-colored paint.

"The enormous sculpture also marks a first for Oklahoma Contemporary Art Center: It is the center’s first installation in Automobile Alley, adjacent to the land at NW 11 and Broadway where the center plans to relocate in 2017."

that's good.

also here's this piece as well

"Titled “Terra,” the installation will eventually incorporate 1.4 million feet of interwoven rope — primarily recycled crab- and lobster-fishing rope — coated with 350 gallons of terra-cotta-colored paint."

It's pretty cool to see in person.

From their facebook page:

Making progress!

9286

Looks like they've got everything pretty much installed and are now painting:

https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpf1/v/t1.0-9/10710961_10152777725854800_4795206259203052264_n.j pg?oh=f28dd6e4927ddc106c5338877098cab3&oe=54F204FA&__gda__=1421857157_03432f0b178d8b8e31993283ee2625b 3

Exhibit officially opens today:


Finishing touches happening today... Orly Genger's "Terra" officially opens Monday, October 20 at 5 p.m. at Campbell Park / NW 11th & Broadway in Automobile Alley. We hope to see you then!

https://scontent-b-dfw.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfp1/v/t1.0-9/s526x296/1969240_10152779221099800_4547213025623792073_n.jp g?oh=9afc79db139293ac9b9b8aa1d1028eb9&oe=54EF4609

Hugh Meade of Odd Fab Design (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Oddfab-Design-Lab/50650012599) has also placed a commissioned piece on the Oklahoma Contemporary site.

9333

First look at Rand Elliott's design for the permanent museum; (from https://twitter.com/AutoAlleyOKC):



http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/contemporary102714d.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/contemporary102714a.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/contemporary102714b.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/contemporary102714c.jpg

Wow! Love the design of the building. Hate the parking lot and plazas.

I love it! This is being built on AA? This will be amazing!

There is a park (Campbell Park) between their land and Broadway, so no way to create any real street presence anyway.

Looking forward to seeing more details. Rand Elliott plus this client seems like a perfect match.

There is a park (Campbell Park) between their land and Broadway, so no way to create any real street presence anyway.



Thanks - I thought they bought street front property, so that helps with my reaction to the site plan.

Cool looking building, and if it can't be in the Art's District, I think this is a good spot. I'm excited to see what Rand will do with the interior.

First look at Rand Elliott's design for the permanent museum; (from https://twitter.com/AutoAlleyOKC):



http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/contemporary102714d.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/contemporary102714a.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/contemporary102714b.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/contemporary102714c.jpg


Building is OK, the site design is horrible. This should be in the suburbs. This land is very valuable and should have been developed for other mixed use better urban design. What a waste of a great location.

It looks like the Fortress of Solitude. Dollars to donuts that's what people end up calling it.

Maybe I'm just not seeing it yet, but I HATE that design.

Maybe I'm just not seeing it yet, but I HATE that design.

Same, plus the site plan is particularly awful and a waste of prime real estate along the streetcar corridor.

I don't mind the green space, depending on how they use it. If it really is used for activities and sculptures, it could be cool. I do wish the building was on the street and the the surface parking was reduced, but it sounds like they can't build at the street.

I can't really tell about the building, though. I think this would come down to the materials used and I can't tell what they are from the pics.

This is a good view of how the building (yellow) will sit on their overall property (red).

Note they plan to keep the small building in the southeast corner.

Campbell Park is to the west along Broadway.

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/contemporaryaerial.jpg

The building goes right up to the street. What is the problem? There is a park between Broadway and the building, how would they front the road? Just demolish part of the park?

Depending on the materials used, it reminds me of the Houston Contemporary Art Museum. Since the building is entitled "Folding Light", I imagine it may be transparent and glow at night.

It also sounds like they'll be installing art in the park, which will at least give it some purpose.

As it is now, it's just a open green space without any reason whatsoever to go there.

What is in the building on the southwest side below the property?

What is in the building on the southwest side below the property?

It's a law office.

And a big empty field is pretty easy to develop. The main parking lots appear to be between the building and the railroad tracks which is good placement. Ideally the other would be pushed back and allow for green space for any potential infill. I think the building is unique and could draw more interest to the 13th-23rd Broadway corridor.

They are installing the containers for their temp facility today:

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/con103014.jpg

OKCTalk - Oklahoma Contemporary reveals plans for new downtown museum (http://www.okctalk.com/content.php?r=65-Oklahoma-Contemporary-reveals-plans-for-new-downtown-museum)

Awesome. And I find it very fitting that they chose to use shipping containers for the temporary space. It's a statement to their flexibility and as long as you haven't been living in a hole, then you're seeing just one example of the really creative things people are doing with them these days. Definite WIN.

I have no idea what I'm even looking at. The renderings don't tell me much besides the form of the building (barely). I usually like what Rand does with forms and materials, so I'll give him the benefit of the doubt. The site plan, however, leaves somewhat to be desired. I can live with the surface parking behind the building since it backs up to the railroad tracks, but the green spaces (especially to the north and south) could be better utilized.

Beside the homeless community, Campbell Park is dramatically underutilized. So much so that many posters in this thread didn't even know it was a park!

Instead of creating more lightly-used green spaces, I'd like to see the museum form a partnership with the City to engage and activate Campbell Park.

1) Reconstruct Broadway Drive (the street between the park and museum site) into a Shared Space (Shared space - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shared_space)) to facilitate the integration of the site and park.
2) Refurbish and utilize the park grounds for the outdoor sculpture gardens and activity spaces.
3) Develop the empty spaces to the north and south. These would be great park-front locations for live/work artists lofts and studios or for a restaurant or coffee shop.

Here is a quick sketch of what I'm thinking:

http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s225/CuatrodeMayo/85A02E47-8EE9-4915-A135-CA199D5A1D81_zpshbfivs06.jpg

More detailed plans will be revealed in a couple of months but will be pretty close to what has been recently revealed.

Not a fan. This is pretty underwhelming considering that the building looks like it will be interesting. If it were more dominant on Broadway, the same structure could make an impact on the northern edge of Auto Alley.

This is MOCA (Museum of Contemporary Art) Cleveland.. similar size building, similar budget probably, somewhat similar site:

http://thebeatuptown.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/The-Beat-Uptown_July-10_4.jpg

Why can't they do something like this?

I have no idea what I'm even looking at. The renderings don't tell me much besides the form of the building (barely). I usually like what Rand does with forms and materials, so I'll give him the benefit of the doubt. The site plan, however, leaves somewhat to be desired. I can live with the surface parking behind the building since it backs up to the railroad tracks, but the green spaces (especially to the north and south) could be better utilized.

Beside the homeless community, Campbell Park is dramatically underutilized. So much so that many posters in this thread didn't even know it was a park!

Instead of creating more lightly-used green spaces, I'd like to see the museum form a partnership with the City to engage and activate Campbell Park.

1) Reconstruct Broadway Drive (the street between the park and museum site) into a Shared Space (Shared space - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shared_space)) to facilitate the integration of the site and park.
2) Refurbish and utilize the park grounds for the outdoor sculpture gardens and activity spaces.
3) Develop the empty spaces to the north and south. These would be great park-front locations for live/work artists lofts and studios or for a restaurant or coffee shop.

Here is a quick sketch of what I'm thinking:

http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s225/CuatrodeMayo/85A02E47-8EE9-4915-A135-CA199D5A1D81_zpshbfivs06.jpg

Yeah the land use is atrocious here. I still have no idea why this much space is required for the museum.

Yep, Rand strikes again... He often appears to have little to no regard for public space and the urban realm when designing new structures. Not a fan of this use of what could be prime urban space.

It reminds me of a contemporary version of Denver's original art museum, which was loved and hated - about 50/50 it seemed. I loved it, so expect I'll like this building.

I'm not that worried about the land use here. The building will come right up to Broadway Drive. The rest of the area, all the green space and parking, are things that can easily be changed later. This design doesn't inhibit any future development.

I would expect the park in front will be used for all kinds of events and temporary outdoor exhibits.

I'm not that worried about the land use here. The building will come right up to Broadway Drive. The rest of the area, all the green space and parking, are things that can easily be changed later. This design doesn't inhibit any future development.

That's a good point.

Yep, Rand strikes again... He often appears to have little to no regard for public space and the urban realm when designing new structures. Not a fan of this use of what could be prime urban space.

It's not even a lack of understanding or a weird conceptualization of public space, but rather that Rand simply doesn't value it and doesn't believe it. The proof is in the pudding constituting of his body of work. He simply can NOT work with urban context because he works against it.

I'm not that worried about the land use here. The building will come right up to Broadway Drive. The rest of the area, all the green space and parking, are things that can easily be changed later. This design doesn't inhibit any future development.

What is on Broadway Drive?

The critical question about the site design here is how can Broadway Drive relate and tie into Broadway Avenue?

Regarding the land use, you're all 100% correct about it not conforming to accepted urbanist design. But you have to understand Rand a bit better before making blanket pronouncements about "good" or "bad." I've had a few great conversations with Rand about architecture, and one that sticks out for me is the one we had about Louis Kahn's Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth.

Kahn was very anti-automobile and designed the Kimbell so that automobiles were hidden behind, and the visitor was intended to walk around the building and enter through a carefully-landscaped grove of trees that "introduced" the visitor to the building and built anticipation for the experience within.

Rand is a big proponent of this type of experiential architecture, especially for higher and cultural uses like this. You can see strong evidence in the Boathouse District, where users are led on long paths when approaching the boathouses, in an effort to require the user to take the building in. Of course the knock is that many users - especially daily ones - see it as impractical and just cut across lawns and through landscaping, creating desire trails.

I'm not sure from the preliminary drawings if that type of experience is the intent here, but strongly suspect that it is. Personally, as an architecture fanboy I think that a break in the street wall in favor of an iconic cultural structure is OK in the urban environment in limited doses. It can help make a statement about our values and who we are. Of course, you can argue that is exactly what the failed Stage Center attempted, but I disagree that poor urban land use was to blame for its demise. And please let's not go down that rabbit hole in this thread.

Anyway, Rand does not strictly disregard the urban environment. In fact, he is very respectful of it in projects like Red Prime and his own office, where he did incredible HP that celebrated the existing - very urban - buildings. He just doesn't always choose to conform to it in new structures, which might be OK for this building, especially in this location. If I have to turn in my strict urbanist card for saying that, so be it.

I will, however, point out the irony that with Kahn's Kimbell most visitors simply chose to park in the lot and enter through the back door, completely ignoring the intended experience. They had to fix this problem when they built the Renzo Piano Wing by putting in an underground parking garage that exits visitors to the intended entry.