8/13/2019 Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects on American Folk Museum

1/1

ARCHITECTS LLP 222 CENTRAL PARK SOUTH NEW YORK CITY 10019 212 582 2385

STATEMENTFROMTODWILLIAMSANDBILLIETSIEN

INRESPONSETOTHEAMERICANFOLKARTMUSEUMBUILDINGDECISIONBYMoMA

January8,2014

WehavelearnedofMoMAsfinaldecisiontorazetheformerAmericanFolkArt

Museumbuildingandreplaceitwithanewstructure.Thisactionrepresentsamissed

opportunityto

find

new

life

and

purpose

for

abuilding

that

is

meaningful

to

so

many.

TheFolkArtbuildingwasdesignedtorespondtothefabricoftheneighborhoodand

createabuildingthatfeltbothappropriateandyetalsoextraordinary. Demolishingthis

humanscaled,uniquelycraftedbuildingisalosstothecityofNewYorkintermsof

respectingthesize,diversityandtextureofbuildingsinamidtownneighborhoodthatis

atriskofbecomingincreasinglyhomogenized.

Thisisabuildingthatweandothersteachfromandabout.Ithasservedasan

invaluablelearningresourceforstudents,colleaguesandscholars,andasourceof

inspirationformanymore.Ithasapowerfularchitecturallegacy. Theinabilityto

experiencethebuildingfirsthandandtoappreciateitsmeaningfromanhistorical

perspectivewillbeprofoundlyfelt.

Asarchitects,wemustbeoptimists.

Sowelooktothefuture

andwemoveon.

T O D W I L L I A M S

B I L L I E T S I E N

F 212 245 1984

E MAIL@TWBTA.COM