Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth
3200 Darnell Street
Fort Worth, Texas 76107
Built: Opened in 2002
Architect: Tadao Ando
Show Description:
Renowned Japanese architect Tadao Ando brings light and nature into this soaring concrete structure in the city’s cultural district.
Highlights: Tadao Ando had no formal education in architecture yet the Pritzker Prize–winning architect is one of the most respected architects of our time. The simplicity and minimalism of Ando’s aesthetic adheres to his Japanese culture. His buildings are massive structures with clean geometric lines, composed of concrete, glass, steel, and granite. Dramatic use of natural lighting fill cavernous spaces creating meditative spaces that allow visitors to interact with the artwork. The buildings are in harmony with the natural environment bringing light and water and nature in.
Features of the Building:
- Five flat roof pavilions, three of which appear to float on a 1.5-acre pond
- Five 40-foot Y-shaped columns support the cantilevered concrete roof slabs
- Forty-foot-tall walls of glass remove boundaries between inside and outside
- Lighting is diffused and reflected naturally
- References to nature can be seen in the water, natural light, and outside sculpture garden
If you go:
The Modern Art Museum is in one of Fort Worth’s two cultural districts. There are five museums in the area, all designed by other notable architects and all within walking distance of each other.
- Amon Carter Museum of American Art, designed by Philip Johnson
- Fort Worth Museum of Science & History, designed by Legorreta + Legorreta
- Kimbell Art Museum, designed by Louis I. Kahn
- National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame, designed by David M. Schwarz
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