As the first museum to be built in Boston in 100 years, the Institute of Contemporary Art had an opportunity to impress, and Diller Scofidio + Renfro, the architects behind the building, didn't pass that up. The new museum features a boldly cantilevered upper story that has a pop-out viewing gallery falling from the bottom, creating a dramatic and precipitous point from which people can look out on the Charles River.
The pop-out suspended under the cantilever serves as a "mediateque" where people can learn about the art housed in the building with computers. Its angle is intended to cut out any context from the view available through the window, giving occupants a view of the river's waves and little else.
Pop-Out River-Viewing Galleries
Boston's Institute of Contemporary Art Features an Angled Gallery
Trend Themes
1. Pop-out River-viewing Galleries - Creating innovative pop-out suspended galleries under the cantilever with unique angles and functionalities is a disruptive innovation opportunity in architectural design
2. Cantilevered Upper Stories - Designing cantilevered upper stories of buildings with pop-out viewing galleries falling from it is a popular trend to make a dramatic and striking point
3. Customized Interiors - Designing interiors customized to the specific needs and purposes of the building’s occupants is a growing trend for museums and institutions alike
Industry Implications
1. Architecture - Incorporating pop-out suspended galleries and cantilevered upper stories in architectural designs of buildings, especially institutions and museums, is a trend with vast opportunities for disruptive innovations
2. Museum Industry - Including innovative architecture designs such as dramatic pop-out viewing galleries and cantilevered upper stories in the construction of new museums is a trend that's gaining in popularity
3. Contemporary Art - Constructing contemporary art buildings with unique features that stand out such as pop-out viewing galleries and cantilevered upper stories is becoming increasingly popular and paves the way for disruptive innovations in art-house architecture