Architect outlines plans for museum's new building (08/25/96)

Architect outlines plans for museum's new building

by Marta Baczynsky

NEW YORK - Plans for the new building of The Ukrainian Museum in New York City were presented during the museum's annual meeting on June 9 by architect George Sawicki of the New York-based firm Greenfield, Sawicki, Tarella, Architects, PC.

The proposed new facility will result from the complete reconstruction of the large industrial building located at 220-224 E. Sixth St. in Manhattan, which the museum had purchased in 1986.

Last year Mr. Sawicki was unanimously selected by the museum's board of trustees to develop the building project, designed to give the institution ample space to support its goals: to collect, preserve and display objects of historic and/or artistic merit relating to Ukrainian life and culture, to promote educational activities, to engage in scholarly research and to publish the findings.

According to the plans proposed by Mr. Sawicki, the new building, with a 75 linear-foot frontage, will yield 16,200 square feet of usable space on three floors and in the lower level cellar area. The architect's plan, approved by the museum's board of trustees, presents a coherent and balanced distribution of space, responding to the museum's needs and requirements. The design also includes a 2,000 square-foot addition to the second floor and provides for construction of a fourth floor, if necessary in the future.

The architect explained that the new museum building will contain spacious galleries on the ground and second floors, designed to showcase the museum's exhibitions. The ground floor gallery will be used also as an auditorium. The entire large third floor is reserved for housing the collections' storage.

The library, work areas related to the study of the collections and their preparation for various purposes such as exhibitions, several workshop rooms to be used in conjunction with the museum's educational programs, a conference/lecture/film room, as well as space for storing packing material and exhibition furniture will be contained on the lower level, while the offices will be situated on the second floor.

The museum's lobby gift shop, as well as a consignment gallery/café, will be located on the ground level, flanking a large two-storied vestibule designed to give the visitor a feeling of open space and airiness. Access to the second floor gallery will be via a centrally located decorative staircase on the first floor, as well as by elevator.

The building facade, as designed by the architect, is an impressive 75-foot frontage of rectilinear architectural forms utilizing glass on the first and second floors, which are counterbalanced by a horizontal and vertical curved solid plane of the third floor. This curved upper design is reinforced by a vertically curved canopy over the entrance. In order to respect the adjoining existing buildings and the Sixth Street streetscape, the facade materials (with the exception of glass areas) will be primarily of a Venetian, reddish color brick, with lighter stone materials used for bordering.

Mr. Sawicki explained that state-of-the-art equipment and systems (elevator, air and temperature controls, security systems, lighting, etc.) that conform to museum standards will be employed in the new building.

The architect is working closely with the Building Committee, the museum director and staff, consultants from other museums, as well as with individuals who specialize in areas specific to museum construction. Every effort is being made to ensure that the plan developed for the new building of The Ukrainian Museum is a sound one, addressing current needs and containing well-thought-out provisions for future growth and development.