Bilbao Re-Effect: Container + Contents + Context Architectural Strategies for the 21st Century Art Museum

Abstract

Throughout the history of art museums and galleries, the container, its contents, and the surrounding context, have retained a tuneful relationship; yet, in 20th century we witness a major shift, with the container taking centre stage, often to the detriment of the art and community. This thesis looks at this historical transformation, as a way to understand today’s polarizing container vs contents debate and embarks on an in-depth analysis of case studies throughout the western hemisphere, culminating into an architectural strategy, in pursuance of a ‘productive tension’ between Container + Contents + Context. The architectural proposal for this thesis is a new building for the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, situated on the Halifax waterfront—the precise site of first settlement, and centre of the downtown core.